Suicides account for 1 in 5 international student deaths in Korea, spurring mental health calls
Summary
About one in five international students who died in Korea over the past six years took their own lives, prompting calls for stronger mental health support. The Ministry of Education said 84 international student deaths were reported at Korean universities from 2021 through this year after surveying about 350 universities. The ministry also said international student enrollment reached 307,464 in April, up 21.3 percent from a year earlier.
Key Facts
- Accidents, including traffic accidents, caused 34 of the 84 deaths, the largest share among the reported causes.
- Illness caused 23 deaths, suicide 15, undetermined causes seven and other causes five.
- Annual deaths were 12 in 2021, 16 in 2022, seven in 2023, 13 in 2024 and 21 in 2025, with 15 recorded so far this year.
- Suicides among international students were four in 2021, one in 2022, zero in 2023, five in 2024, three in 2025 and two so far this year.
- The education ministry unveiled a strategy earlier this month to strengthen university and community support, including adaptation program indicators in its International Education Quality Assurance System review.
gettyimagesbank
About one in five international students who died in Korea over the past six years took their own lives, fueling calls for stronger mental health support as their numbers in the country continue to grow.
According to data the Ministry of Education submitted to Rep. Kim Moon-soo on Monday after surveying some 350 universities nationwide, 84 international students at Korean universities died between 2021 and this year.
Accidents, including traffic accidents, caused the most deaths at 34 cases, followed by illness at 23, suicide at 15, undetermined causes at seven and other causes at five.
The annual number of international student deaths was 12 in 2021, 16 in 2022, seven in 2023, 13 in 2024 and 21 in 2025, with 15 recorded so far this year.
Suicides fell from four in 2021 to one in 2022, then dropped to zero in 2023 before rising to five in 2024, three in 2025 and two so far this year.
International students often face difficulties adjusting to life in Korea, including language barriers, unfamiliar culture and academic stress.
In 2024 at Chonnam National University, the death of an African graduate student, who had struggled with academic stress, drew calls for schools and education authorities to pay closer attention to international students' mental health.
According to the education ministry, the number of international students at Korean universities, including graduate schools, reached 307,464 as of April, up 21.3 percent from a year before.
Earlier this month, the ministry unveiled its strategy for international students, pledging to strengthen university and community support to help them settle into academic and daily life.
The plan includes strengthening indicators in areas including adaptation program operations when evaluating universities under the International Education Quality Assurance System, which certifies universities based on their internationalization capacity.
"Rather than focusing on increasing the number of international students, we need a careful prevention system so that they do not take their own lives," Kim said, adding that existing mental health programs should be strengthened for early suicide prevention.
Explore More
- Q.
- Q.
- Q.