The main reasons why many Koreans commit suicide

In 2018, South Korea's suicide rate was 26.6 per 100,000 people, a sharp drop from previous years, but still the fourth highest in the world, according to the World Health Organization.

The male suicide rate in South Korea is twice as high as that of women in the country, while the rate of Korean women's suicide is the highest in the world, according to Statista.

The main reasons why many Koreans commit suicide

The media

According to the Werther effect (mimicking suicide), some people sacrifice their lives in response to a previous suicide. According to the study "The Impact of 13 Celebrity Suicides on Subsequent Suicide Rate in Korea from 2005 to 2009", the number of suicides in Korea increased sharply after celebrity deaths.

According to the research results of Fu King-Wa, C. H. Chan and Michel Botbol, ​​3 out of 11 celebrity suicides lead to an increased suicide rate among the Korean population. After removing confounding factors such as seasonality, unemployment rate, etc., the researchers found a strong correlation between celebrity suicides and increased suicide rates in population within 9 weeks.

The level of media coverage of celebrity suicides has an impact on increased suicide rates among the population. In the above study, 3 celebrity suicides were widely reported by the media and led to an increased suicide rate among the population. The under-reported suicides did not lead to an increase in the number of suicides that followed.

People who commit suicide "follow-up" tend to use the same method of self-sacrifice as celebrities. After the suicide of actress Lee Eun-ju in 2005, many people also chose to hang themselves, according to the Journal of Affective Disorders.

According to another Korean study, internet usage is also linked to suicide. Among 1,573 high school students, 1.6% are addicted to the internet and 38% are at risk of internet addiction, according to the International Journal of Nursing Studies. These students have a higher suicide rate than those who are not addicted to the internet.

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Family

Many were orphans or lost a parent due to the Korean War. In a random survey of 12,532 adults, 18.6% said that they lost a parent or both when they were children. The death of a mother has a greater impact on the suicide attempt rate than the death of a father, according to Suicide and Life-Threating Behavior.

One study found that men had the highest rates of suicide attempts when their mothers died when they were 0-4 years old and 5-9 years old. Women have the highest rate of suicide attempts when their mother died when they were 5-9 years old.

Economy

In 1997 and 1998, the Asian financial crisis hit Korea hard. During and after the 1998 recession, South Korea experienced negative economic growth of 6.9% and a high unemployment rate of 7%, according to Social Science & Medicine.

One study found that economic downturns are strongly correlated with increased suicide rates. Unemployment and divorce rates rise while economic downturns lead to depression and depression leads to suicide.

In addition, economic recession damages the status and social image of individuals. This means that their needs and expectations are no longer being met and those who cannot adjust accordingly tend to take their own lives.

According to the results of a study by two authors Ben Park and David Lester, published by the University of Hong Kong Press, unemployment is a major factor in the high suicide rate. In addition to young people committing suicide for economic reasons, the elderly also tend to sacrifice their lives to reduce the burden on their children and grandchildren.

South Korea's elderly suicide rate has surpassed 50 per 100,000 population, Nikkei reported in December 2019.

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Education

Korean students are obliged to take the CSAT (College Aptitude Test). During the exam, planes were grounded to ensure that candidates were not distracted, NPR reported. Exams in Korea are very competitive because every student wants to pass the exam to a prestigious university.

The school year of Korean students lasts from March of the previous year to February of the following year, divided into 2 semesters - from March to July and from August to February. On average, high school students have to spend approximately approx. approximately 16 hours per day to study and do school related activities.

Although Korean education is ranked very high in the world, stress and academic pressure are considered to be the cause of the high suicide rate among 10-19 year olds.

Suicide remained the leading cause of death among young people in South Korea in 2018, a problem the country has faced for more than a decade, Yonhap reported.

In 2018, 9.1 people committed suicide for every 100,000 people aged 9-24, up from 7.7 in 2017. Since 2007, suicide is the No. 1 cause of death for young people. years, according to a report by the Statistics Office of Korea.

The suicide rate peaked in 2009. For every 100,000 teenagers aged 9-24, 10.3 took their own life.

The main reasons why many Koreans commit suicide Photo 2The pressure of work and study also causes many Koreans to commit suicide.

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Mental illness

In South Korea, more than 90% of suicide victims may have a mental disorder, but only 15% of them receive appropriate treatment, according to a study published in The New York Times. Of the more than 2 million people who suffer from depression each year, only 15,000 receive regular treatment.

Because mental illness is looked down upon in Korean society, families often discourage their sick member from seeking treatment. Because of stigma, many symptoms of mental illness are overlooked and this can lead to irrational decisions, including suicide.

In addition, alcohol is often used to relieve depression and self-treat mental illnesses. Rates of suicide attempts are high while people are drunk.

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