CCTV helps reduce suicides on Han River bridges

By Kim Se-jeong

A growing number of people jump from bridges over the Han River in order to commit suicide, but fewer actually die because of a quick rescue system, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG), Friday.

The city government said that between 2010 and 2014, the number of reported suicide attempts at the bridges grew from 193 to 396, but the number of deaths was down from 87 to 11.

It said surveillance cameras installed on the bridges helped save lives. The city government began to install the cameras in 2012 on two bridges ― Mapo and Seogang bridges, the most widely used spots for suicide attempts. In 2012, authorities saved 51.5 percent of the lives of bridge-jumpers, but last year that climbed to 97.2 percent.

On Friday, SMG said it will spend 950 million won ($866,472) until 2018, installing 20 cameras on each of the six additional bridges. The SMG said 119 boat crew members can now reach the bridges within four minutes after being alerted about a jumper.