Jeju Island establishes a dedicated suicide prevention team... Strengthening the life safety net

Jeju Island established a dedicated suicide prevention organization and decided to reduce the number of related deaths by 30% by 2030.

The province announced on the 10th that it will establish a new 'Life Protection Task Force (TF)' composed of four people, including a team leader and three team members, and promote suicide prevention policies in earnest.

According to the National Data Center's cause of death statistics, the number of suicide deaths in Jeju area decreased from 243 in 2024 to 231 last year.

During the same period, the age-standardized suicide rate, which reflects differences in demographic structure by age, decreased from 32.4 to 30.3 per 100,000 people, but is still the highest among the 17 cities and provinces across the country.

The province plans to reduce the number of suicide deaths to below 170 by 2030, a 30% decrease from 2024, by promoting suicide prevention measures centered on a dedicated team.

The dedicated team is responsible for tasks such as suicide prevention policy planning, identification of high-risk groups, emergency response, and performance management.

The province also forms a 'Suicide Prevention Measures Promotion Council' in which related departments such as economy, employment, welfare, education, and culture, professional organizations, and private organizations participate.

The consultative body inspects the overall response system, from early identification of high-risk groups for suicide, response to crisis situations, linkage with specialized treatment, and follow-up management.

In particular, we plan to strengthen support tailored to the characteristics of each target group, such as youth, students, middle-aged people experiencing economic difficulties, the elderly, and single-person households, and link mental health counseling and treatment with economic, employment, emergency welfare, and employment support services.

In addition, we will expand life protection education and publicity centered on schools, workplaces, and villages, and promote exchange of suicide prevention policies with Akita Prefecture, Japan.

Jeju Governor Wi Sung-gon said, “There are no exceptions or second priorities when it comes to protecting the lives of residents,” and added, “We will strengthen cooperation across the provincial government and public-private cooperation to thoroughly promote suicide prevention policies, and focus all our capabilities to ensure that respect for life takes root throughout Jeju society.”

※ If you have concerns that are difficult to talk about, such as depression, or if you have family or acquaintances around you who are experiencing such difficulties, you can receive 24-hour expert counseling from the suicide prevention hotline (☎ 109), the mental health crisis hotline (☎ 1577-0199), or the suicide prevention SNS counseling center 'Madelan'.