South Korea vows to ‘protect lives’ as it faces pressure to combat developed world’s highest suicide rate

The nation, which has one of the world’s highest suicide rates, is starting to do more to tackle the tragic problem – but experts say it’s not enough

Doctors say the social safety net is not wide enough, and that South Korean society also needs a mindset shift to create a more supportive culture

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Thousands of people in South Korea take their own lives every year. The government is trying to reduce the suicide rate, but experts say much more must be done. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 4:00pm, 13 May 2023

South Korea is facing growing pressure from doctors and citizens to enhance its mental health policies to help lower the suicide rate – the developed world’s highest – following a spate of high-profile tragedies.

Thousands of people take their own lives in the country each year, but while many of these deaths fly under the radar, partly because of the stigma that often goes hand in hand with suicide, others are relentlessly spotlighted.

Last month Moonbin, a member of K-pop boy band Astro, was found dead at his home in Seoul, with police believing the 25-year-old took his own life. Thousands of grieving fans expressed their sorrow at his sudden death online.

“I can’t focus on work now. This really hurts,” one Twitter user wrote.

Several K-pop stars are believed to have died by suicide in recent years, prompting calls for stronger punishments for online abuse, and increased attention to the mental health of celebrities.

Goo Hara, a member of K-pop girl band Kara, was found dead in November 2019 aged 28, a month after her close friend Sulli, 25, an outspoken member of another K-pop girl band f(x), took her own life after a long struggle with online bullying.