Gov't to train 1,500 counselors in suicide prevention

By Jung Min-ho

Korea’s suicide rate has been the highest among all OECD member nations since 2003. Among Koreans in their teens, 20s and 30s, it is the No. 1 cause of death.

Yet, for a long time, the government paid little attention to the problem, simply dismissing it as a regrettable choice it cannot change anyway. The Ministry of Health and Welfare spent 9.9 billion won ($8.7 million) last year on suicide prevention, a fraction compared to Japan’s 750 billion won.

New Health Minister Park Neung-hoo finally promised to be more active in helping those at risk who need help.

During a question-and-answer session with citizens at Cheong Wa Dae, Sunday, Park said he will train 1,455 counselors over the next five years as part of an effort to tackle the problem.

“I will set up a system where anyone can readily receive counseling anywhere,” he said.

For now, the ministry only has two officials for dealing with suicide-related issues. Park said he will create a department dedicated to the task.

Suicide is a serious problem that affects many people every day. About 13,000 Koreans commit suicide annually, and the ministry reckons each incident affects five to 10 people seriously. This means at least 700,000 people have been affected over the past 10 years.

According to a survey revealed Aug. 5 by the ministry, 43 percent of the family members of those who have committed suicide said they have suffered depression.

The ministry will also try to prevent “lonely deaths,” or people who die alone with no one to care for their bodies. According to a report released last year, there were 1,245 such cases in 2015, up 23.5 percent from 2014. This problem has also become serious in recent years as an increasing number of people choose to live alone.