Latest reports show that suicide has overtaken cancer as the main cause of death among South Koreans in their 40s. This happened for the first time since the records began in 1983. The reports show that the country is facing a mental health crisis.The statistics was published by Statistics Korea, in a report titled "2024 Cause of Death Statistics". The report showed that the country recorded 14,872 suicides last year, which is a 6.3% increase from the previous year, and the highest figure since 2011. The number reported suggest nearly 30 deaths per 100,000 people in the country. Overall, cancer was a top killer, which accounted for about 25% of total deaths in the country. After that were heart diseases and pneumonia, which made up more than 42% of total deaths. Suicide came at the fifth position, at 4.1%. While suicide was a leading cause of death among teenagers and people under the age of 30, it became the top cause for people in their 40s only in 2024. Of the 10,386 deaths recorded in that age group, 2,817, which makes it for about 26% were suicides, reported The Korea Herald. In fact, among all the OCED members, which stands for the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, South Korea continues to have the highest suicide rate. Does It Impact A Specific Gender Disproportionately?Last year, South Korea stood at 26.2% per 100,000 people, which is more than double the OECD average of 10.8%. Men are more vulnerable to suicide, as they have recorded 2.5% higher rates than women. Why is that the case? Experts who spoke to The Chosun Daily said that there could be several factors behind the increasing number of suicide, including prolonged economic hardship and rising social pressures. “It is possible that ordinary citizens, who had barely endured the Covid-19 pandemic, were driven to the brink and took their own lives,” said Yoo Seong-eun, a psychology professor at Chungbuk National University.A Copy Cat Effect For SuicidesSome observers have also noted the so-called 'Werther Effect', which is a phenomenon where public figures' suicides trigger a spike in copycat cases, especially among those in the similar demography. This term came from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s 18th-century novel The Sorrows of Young Werther, in which the protagonist dies by suicide.Baek Jong-woo, who is a psychiatry professor at Kyung Hee University told the daily that the suicide of actor Lee Sun-kyun, who was best known for his Oscar-winning film Parasite, in December 2023, could have had a huge impact. “Mentally unstable men in their late forties to early fifties, similar in age to Mr Lee, might have identified with him,” Baek said.Is Government Doing Anything About South Korea's Suicide Cases?The South Korean government has recognised the urgent need to address rising injury-related deaths. As reported by The Korea Herald, it has introduced a new five-year national strategy aimed at reducing fatalities from accidents, falls, and poisonings, currently the fourth leading cause of death and a major reason for hospitalisations. Notably, under Korean law, suicide is classified as an injury rather than a disease.Approved by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the plan outlines targeted suicide-prevention measures, including increased patrols in high-risk areas, installation of carbon monoxide detectors in homes, and stricter oversight of chemicals commonly involved in suicide attempts.
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