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The prolonged economic slump and loss of jobs seem to be behind a surge in Korea¡¯s suicide rate, which was among the highest in the OECD last year. The National Statistical Office said Monday that 12,047 out of 245,511 deaths last year were presumed suicides. Cancer remained the most common cause of death, claiming 65,479 lives last year, followed by cerebrovascular disease (31,297) and cardiac diseases (19,288).
That means that on average 33 people took their lives every day last year. The number of suicides in 1995 was 4,840, the ninth common cause of death, but it leaped to fourth place last year, outpacing traffic accidents and diabetes. After the Asian financial crisis, suicides soared to 8,569 in 1998 but declined briefly before rising again since 2001.
The number of suicides for every 100,000 Koreans stood at 24.7 when age-related factors are taken into consideration. According to OECD data, the figure puts Korea ahead of Hungary (22.6) and Japan (20.3).
Particularly alarming is the increase in suicides among people in their 20s and 30s. Every 17.7 in 100,000 Koreans in their 20s killed themselves in 2005, and every 21.8 in their 30s. The figures were 12.2 and 12.5 in 1995. That made suicide the most prevalent cause of death in the age bracket last year.
Ten years ago, it was mainly the elderly who committed suicide, but more and more young people kill themselves due to job losses or personal setbacks, said Park Kyung-ae, the NSO deputy director. A total of 3,292 people in their 20s and 30s took their own lives last year.
Seo Dong-woo, a researcher at Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, attributed the rise to deepening economic difficulties, gambling and credit card debt.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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