Politics · South Korea · 2 hrs ago
South Korea finalizes new suicide prevention plan
South Korea has finalized its sixth national plan to prevent suicide.
The government brought the plan forward after the country’s suicide rate rose in 2024, although the rate fell in 2025.
South Korea has had one of the highest suicide rates among developed countries for more than two decades.
The plan combines safety-net support, outreach, financial and other structural help, integrated care and community action.
It includes a national suicide response office, more staff at prevention centers and temporary shelters.
The government also plans to use artificial intelligence to identify risks and provide debt help, emergency living costs and counseling to people facing high risks.
The plan is intended to address suicide as a responsibility shared across government, with prevention-center staffing set to increase by 2027.
South Korea finalized its sixth Suicide Prevention Basic Plan on Monday, bringing forward the plan after suicide rates spiked in 2024.
The measures include reducing motivations for suicide, expanding psychological care and counseling, and using artificial intelligence to predict suicide risks.
The plan calls for establishing a national suicide response office and increasing staffing at suicide prevention centers to 7.1 people per center by 2027, from five currently.
South Korea’s suicide rate rose to 29.1 deaths per 100,000 people in 2024, then fell to 27.8 in 2025.
Suicide deaths totaled 7,432 from January through July 2026, down 12.3 percent from the same period a year earlier.
- Who
- The South Korean government, with Prime Minister Han Seong-sook presiding over the committee meeting.
- What
- It finalized the sixth Suicide Prevention Basic Plan, a package of measures to prevent suicide.
- When
- Monday, October 12, 2026.
- Where
- Seoul. The plan covers South Korea.
- Why
- The government brought the plan forward after suicide rates spiked in 2024.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Safeguarding the people's lives is an important obligation of the country
Suicide is not just an issue for a specific ministry, but a matter that the entire government should take responsibility for and address
South Korea began drawing up a suicide prevention basic plan every five years.
The government announced the fifth basic plan, covering a period through 2027.
The country’s suicide rate rose to 29.1 deaths per 100,000 people.
Prime Minister Han Seong-sook presided over a meeting to discuss suicide prevention measures.
The government finalized the sixth Suicide Prevention Basic Plan.
- Plan
- Sixth Suicide Prevention Basic Plan
- Suicide rate
- 29.1 deaths per 100,000 people in 2024; 27.8 in 2025
- Deaths in 2026
- 7,432 from January through July, down 12.3 percent year on year
- Center staffing target
- 7.1 people per suicide prevention center by 2027, up from five
- Plan strategy
- BASIC: basic safety net, active outreach, structural support, integrated care and community accountability
Sources
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