Seoul's Mapo Bridge to get suicide barriers
Seoul will install a 2.5-meter anti-suicide fence on Mapo Bridge by December as the number of jumpers keeps increasing. / Yonhap
By Lee Han-soo
Guardrails on Seoul’s Mapo Bridge will be raised from 1.5 to 2.5 meters to make it harder for people to commit suicide by jumping into the Han River.
The city government project will cover the bridge’s 2.6 kilometers and is expected to be completed in December.
The guardrails will face inward and have rollers on top to make it harder for people to climb over.
The city started a “Life Bridge Campaign” in 2012 to reduce the number of suicides. Displays of inspirational messages along the bridge’s sidewalks were lit up when people approached. The campaign ended last year.