South Korea’s teen suicide rate rises to record high — Korea Herald
In South Korea, the suicide rate among people aged 10 to 19 rose by 7.5% in 2025, reaching 8.6 cases per 100,000 population. This is the highest figure since such statistics began to be recorded in 1983, Korea Herald reports. Teenagers were the only age group for which an increase in this indicator was recorded.
Overall, the country registered 14,144 deaths by suicide last year, 728 fewer than in 2024. The overall rate fell from 29.1 to 27.8 cases per 100,000 population, or by 4.7%. The figures declined in all other age groups, including among people aged 20 and older.
Statistics among school students
According to the Ministry of Education, 244 deaths by suicide among students were recorded in the country in 2025: six among elementary school children, 92 among middle school students, and 146 among high school students.
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Family problems were most frequently cited among the factors in the ministry’s data, in 77 cases. Psychiatric problems appeared in 58 cases, problems with studies and career choice in 54, and difficulties in relationships with other people in 38. In 79 cases, the cause was not established. Experts stress that such deaths usually do not have a single cause: teenagers may simultaneously be affected by anxiety, depression, academic pressure, family conflicts, relationships with peers, and financial difficulties.
Government measures
Earlier this month, the government presented a plan to reduce the suicide rate among teenagers from 8 cases per 100,000 population in 2024 to 4.2 by 2035. The Ministry of Education plans to increase the number of emergency mental health teams that travel to schools from 56 in 2025 to 100 in 2030.
Funding for the voucher program supporting students’ mental health was also increased from 8 billion to 10 billion won this year. The program will cover not only medical treatment but also counseling. Specialists are calling for broader mental health support programs to be developed in schools, accessible to students even before crisis situations arise.
