PM Han Vows to Tackle Suicides, Lonely Deaths as Key Policy Focus

SEOUL, July 8 (Yonhap) -- Prime Minister Han Seong-sook said Wednesday one of her main focuses is to come up with better measures to reduce suicides and lonely deaths in line with President Lee Jae Myung's signature policy goal of "politics saving people's lives."

Han made the remark during a visit to Ven. Jinwoo, chief of the Jogye Order, South Korea's largest Buddhist sect, after the monk noted that South Korea lags behind many other nations in terms of people's happiness despite the country's economic success and increased income.

"One of the first things that the president told me at the Cabinet meeting after I took office as prime minister is that with regard to politics that save people's lives, we need to look into not only suicides, but also various other factors and types of deaths, and study various policies," Han said.

Han said she was briefed on these issues by the welfare ministry, police and other agencies earlier in the day.

"There are many who die lonely deaths. I believe the government should think not only about how we can grow, but also about how we can share and how we can address these issues. That's why I came here to listen to your views so as to help set our direction."

She also said that competition has grown extremely fierce in South Korea as the country has achieved economic growth in a short period of time. That, in turn, has left many people without a place to turn to and made people hostile to one another, she said.

"This is a very worrying situation," Han said.

Later in the day, Han was schedule to pay a visit to leaders of the country's Catholic churches.