Ministry of Health and Welfare holds 9th Life Respect Policy Council

Government targets suicide rate of 18.9 per 100,000 by 2030

[123RF]
[123RF]

Suicide deaths in South Korea have fallen for 11 consecutive months compared with the same month a year earlier, and the government is stepping up public-private cooperation to sustain the trend.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare said it held the 9th Life Respect Policy Public-Private Council on Tuesday at Samjeong Hotel in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, bringing together representatives from government ministries, religious groups, the business community and labor organizations to review suicide prevention efforts and discuss future collaboration.

Established in 2018 under the Suicide Prevention Act, the council includes six government ministries — the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ministry of Employment and Labor, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, and the Korean National Police Agency — along with 43 private-sector organizations representing religious, business, labor, media and academic circles.

About 30 participants attended Tuesday's meeting, including Second Vice Minister of Health and Welfare Lee Hyung-hoon and officials and sector representatives from across the council.

Participants shared the key contents of the government's Sixth Basic Plan for Suicide Prevention, announced last month, along with outcomes from suicide prevention initiatives carried out across various sectors, and discussed the way forward.

Through the sixth plan, announced Oct. 12, the government set a target of reducing the suicide rate to 18.9 per 100,000 people by 2030 — a drop of more than 30 percent from the peak rate.

The meeting also featured presentations on suicide prevention activities undertaken by member organizations.

Religious groups, for example, have held memorial services for bereaved families of suicide victims using meditation and prayer, as well as temple-stay programs, while business and labor groups have run initiatives to promote mental health among workers and in local communities.

The government said it plans to further strengthen public-private cooperation to maintain the positive trend of 11 consecutive months of year-on-year declines in suicide deaths.

"Suicide prevention cannot be achieved through government efforts alone — every member of our society must share responsibility and take action together," Second Vice Minister Lee said. "We will reflect the voices and recommendations from diverse communities in our policy, and build a suicide prevention community where government and the private sector walk the path forward hand in hand."

If you're thinking about self-harm or suicide, dial the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 109, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Please request a translator for English-language services.


thlee@heraldcorp.com