Sexual stress, family discord, and economic hardship are some of the main reasons why Korea’s youth suicide rate continues to rise. To solve this problem, we need to truly listen to our youth, understand their pain, and actively communicate with them.
It’s no secret that South Korea has one of the highest youth suicide rates in the world. It has become such a familiar part of our society that whenever the topic is brought up, the natural reaction is “Not again?” While the average youth suicide rate in OECD countries has been steadily declining, Korea’s rate has risen by a whopping 57% over the past decade. This is even higher than the adult suicide rate, highlighting the seriousness of the problem.
So why is Korea’s suicide rate continuing to rise among both adolescents and adults? For adolescents between the ages of 13 and 19, the main causes of suicide are academic and career problems, family discord, financial difficulties, and loneliness and isolation. For adults, financial difficulties, illness and disability, and loneliness and isolation are the main reasons for suicide. Unlike adults, youth suicides are often impulsive rather than depressive, and are often a response to stress or frustration stemming from interpersonal and external circumstances, such as sexual stress, bullying, and relationships with parents. Another problem is that adolescents often receive information through the internet or mass media, and during this sensitive period, they often feel suicidal after reading suicide articles or information.
Korea has grown rapidly in many ways in a short period of time. It is now a globally recognized country, but despite this external growth, Korea is ranked 41st in the World Happiness Report. Material progress doesn’t necessarily correlate with happiness, and we should take note of the social side effects of this.
Korea has the fastest internet speeds of any country in the world, Wi-Fi is ubiquitous, and the public transportation system is well developed. Nowadays, life is so convenient that we know in real time when the bus will arrive. But on the contrary, young people are giving up their lives in increasing numbers. What does this mean? We need to realize that material abundance is not everything, and we need to seriously consider the deep inner pain that young people are experiencing.
To be truly happy, a person needs something that fulfills their heart, not any material thing. In the real world, however, most people are busy and tired just trying to maintain their lives and feel anxious about an uncertain future. Considering that grades and schooling are the leading causes of suicide among teenagers, it’s no wonder that parents often impose their own ideals on their children while they struggle with these issues. Of course, not all teens go to these extremes, but it’s worth focusing on one area. Parents often don’t ask or think about what their children really want to do or what they’re interested in. Instead, they entrust their child’s future to tutors, school teachers, and admissions counselors based on their own ideas.
As grades and career concerns deepen, teens naturally begin to think deeply about their identity, future, and life. When the answer to these anxious and dizzying questions is always a story of dull grades and the name of a prestigious university, it’s no wonder they feel suicidal.
The second most important cause, family discord, exacerbates this situation. Whether you’re a child or an adult, living in the modern world is no easy task. As the number of working families increases, so does the number of conflicts between parents, which in turn increases the likelihood of family discord. A high school counselor I know said that out of all the kids who come to her for counseling, there are very few who don’t have family problems. She was deeply concerned about the increasing number of children from divorced and single-parent families. Children who don’t receive enough love from their parents tend to have low self-esteem, lack self-confidence, and lose motivation in life.
Financial difficulties, loneliness, and isolation are all at the top of the list of causes, and they are too much for young people to handle alone. But the problem is that no adult around them seems to care enough to help them. This is one of the biggest problems facing our society.
According to Mr. Ha Sang-hoon, the director of the Korea Life Line, young people often change their minds if they are listened to with an attitude of understanding. Therefore, he believes that measures such as mandating counseling education in schools and expanding communication channels are urgently needed. What young people need most is someone who cares about them, listens to them, and understands them without judgment. Through open communication with parents at home and teachers at school, many young people can regain their will to live and get back on their feet with a ray of light. While it may seem very simple to look each other in the eye and carry on a conversation, in reality, it is difficult and complex. However, considering that this communication is a great driving force for young people, we need to break away from the current system and open the window of communication even wider.
At the end of the day, if we as a society want to solve their problems, we need to listen to their voices and take a genuine interest in their lives. Most importantly, we need to make them feel that they matter. This is more than an individual issue, it’s a collective challenge.
