This Sep. 10, 2023 file photo shows a statue of a man comforting another person, set up on Mapo Bridge to prevent suicide attempts, in Seoul. The Cabinet approved a revision to the enforcement ordinance, Tuesday, mandating annual suicide prevention education for all students at elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as employees of public institutions. Yonhap

All students in elementary, middle and high schools, along with employees at public institutions in Korea, must now undergo annual suicide prevention education, as part of stepped-up government efforts to address suicide, which is the leading cause of death among young Koreans, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Tuesday.

The Cabinet approved a revised enforcement ordinance of the relevant law, mandating students as well as workers at state-run institution and hospitals to undergo training in self-harm prevention. This new requirement will come into effect starting this Friday.

According to the new rule, administrators of these organizations must create a training program for self-harm prevention and offer it at least once a year to students and employees, either in-person or online. They are also required to report the outcomes to the health ministry or other Cabinet-level departments.

Higher education institutions and private businesses with at least 30 employees have also been advised to join the campaign and take advantage of government resources.

The training program comprises two main components. The first part aims to educate participants on the nature of suicide, including factors that contribute to mental health decline and strategies to overcome such conditions. The second part provides practical guidance on supporting individuals exposed to high risks of suicide, covering how to recognize warning signs and effective response strategies.

This policy is part of the government's expanded efforts to lower the country's suicide rate from 25.2 per 100,000 people to the OECD average of 10.6 within the next 10 years.

Since 2003, Korea has consistently had the highest suicide rate among the 34 OECD member nations. From January to June 2023, nearly 7,000 people in Korea took their own lives, marking an 8.8 percent increase compared to the previous year, according to the Korea Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Students promote a helpline number for people suffering from depression during a suicide prevention campaign at Cheonggye Plaza in central Seoul, in this Sept. 13, 2023 photo. Korea Times photo by Kim Ye-won

This is a particularly serious problem among young people. A report published last month by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family showed that the suicide rate per 100,000 people aged between nine and 24 stood at 10.8, by far the leading cause of death over accidents (3.9) and cancer (2.5).

"I hope the culture of respecting life would spread further through the suicide prevention program," Lee Young-hoon, a senior official at the ministry's mental health department, said. "Practical tips on how to seek help and how to provide help for those at high risk of suicide are expected to help strengthen the life-saving safety net in society."

Experts in adolescent education expressed support for the adoption of the new policy.

A youth counselor at a state-sponsored support organization for young people in southern Seoul told The Korea Times that the change could potentially save many lives.

"More than half of the individuals I have spoken with over many years have reported contemplating or attempting suicide," she said. "Done right, I think such education programs will save many lives."