NewKerala.com

Key Points

South Korea has recorded over 7,000 suicide deaths in the first half of 2025, showing only a slight decrease from previous years. The country continues to hold the highest suicide rate among OECD nations at more than double the average. Experts are calling for broader public health approaches beyond just targeting high-risk groups. Meanwhile, the country is seeing some positive trends with birth rates increasing for 13 consecutive months.

Key Points: South Korea Suicide Deaths Top 7000 First Half 2025

  • People in their 50s accounted for largest suicide share at 22.4 percent
  • South Korea maintains highest OECD suicide rate at 26.2 per 100,000 people
  • Experts urge comprehensive policy assessment to address suicide risks
  • Birth rates show improvement with 13th straight month of growth
3 min read

Suicide deaths in South Korea exceed 7,000 in first half of 2025

South Korea records over 7,000 suicide deaths in first half of 2025, maintaining highest OECD suicide rate while experts call for broader public health interventions.

"The government should move beyond targeted interventions for high-risk groups to include selective and universal measures - Choi Min-jae, Korea University"

Seoul, Sep 28

More than 7,000 people died by suicide in South Korea in the first half of this year, according to government data on Sunday.

A total of 7,067 people took their lives between January and June, slightly down from the 7,844 in the same period last year but similar to the 7,142 in the first half of 2023, according to data from Statistics Korea.

By age group, people in their 50s accounted for the largest share at 22.4 per cent, followed by those in their 40s (19 per cent), 60s (15.1 per cent), 30s (13.5 per cent) and 70s (9.8 per cent), with other age groups making up the remainder.

Experts say suicide should not be viewed only as an individual issue but also as a broader social and structural problem requiring public health interventions.

In a recent article in the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs' (KIHASA) International Social Security Review, Choi Min-jae, a researcher at the Korea University Graduate School of Public Health, said the government should move beyond targeted interventions for high-risk groups to include "selective and universal" measures addressing risks across the general population.

He also urged the establishment of a comprehensive control tower to assess how fiscal, labour and other policies may affect suicide rates and to introduce complementary measures where notable risks are identified.

South Korea currently holds the highest suicide rate among the member countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which stood at 26.2 for every 100,000 people in 2024, far higher than the OECD average of 10.8.

Earlier this week, government data revealed that the number of babies born in South Korea jumped nearly 6 per cent from a year earlier in July, backed by a steep climb in marriages.

A total of 21,803 babies were born in July, up 5.9 per cent from 20,580 babies born a year earlier, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea.

It marked the 13th straight month of on-year growth but the fourth-lowest figure for July since the government began record-keeping in 1981.

A total of 147,804 babies were born between January and July. The figure represents a 7.2 per cent increase from the same period last year, the highest growth rate since 1981.

It marked the first time since 2015 that the number of newborn babies in the January-July period posted an on-year increase.

The country's total fertility rate, the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime, rose 0.04 from a year earlier to 0.8 in July.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
The OECD statistics are shocking - 26.2 vs 10.8 average! This shows how economic development alone doesn't guarantee mental wellbeing. South Korea's work culture and social pressures need urgent reform.
A
Aditya G
While the numbers are tragic, I appreciate that experts are calling for broader social interventions rather than blaming individuals. Mental health should be treated as a public health issue everywhere.
S
Sarah B
The slight improvement in birth rates mentioned at the end gives some hope, but a fertility rate of 0.8 is still critically low. South Korea seems to be facing multiple demographic crises simultaneously.
K
Karthik V
As someone who has lived in Korea, the pressure to succeed is immense from childhood. The education system and corporate culture need fundamental changes. India should take note before we go down similar paths.
M
Michael C
The "comprehensive control tower" approach suggested by Choi Min-jae makes sense. Governments need to assess how every policy affects mental health, not just react after tragedies occur.
N
Nisha Z
While I understand the concern, I wish the article had included more about what's actually being done right now to help people. Prevention programs and crisis helplines need more funding and awareness.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50