“When I found my brother’s cold body three years ago, it was May, but my heart turned to winter.”

Jang Jun-ha was especially shocked because his brother was only 35 years old.

Jang called the police after being unable to contact her brother by phone for days.

When they forced open the door to their room, Jang found Jun-an lying lifeless on the bed.

“At the time, I was taking a course at a suicide prevention center to become an instructor,” says Jang.

“I visited schools to educate children about the common symptoms of someone contemplating suicide and what can be done to help them. “I tried to save other people’s lives, but I never thought my brother would take his.”

Jang, 45, still finds it difficult to talk openly about what her family has been through It is a sensitive issue in South Korean society. However, he does his best to share his personal story to raise awareness about the issue of suicide.

The highest suicide rate among developed countries

South Korea is known for its K-pop music groups and global companies such as Samsung. But in this apparently successful society Every day 36 people commit suicide.

The country has the highest suicide rate among the 38 countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

This is reported by the South Korean statistics agency In 2021, 13,352 people took their own lives.

Suicide is the leading cause of death among South Koreans aged 10 to 39. More than two in five deaths among adolescents (43.7%) are due to suicide. This figure rises to 56.8% among people in their twenties and then drops to 40.6% among people in their thirties.

Jang’s brother was part of that generation fighting for survival.

Seoul has a rate of 23.6 suicide deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, more than double the OECD average of 11.1 deaths.

The government recently announced a five-year plan to prevent suicides, with the aim of reducing suicides by 30%.

This goal is important because if the government is successful, it will no longer be ranked as “the country with the highest suicide rate in the OECD.”

But is this a PR stunt or a serious measure to tackle the deep-seated problems underlying these figures?

A high-pressure society

The suicide rate in South Korea has something to do with this a mix of economic, social and cultural factors.

After being devastated by the Korean War, which ended in 1953, the country rose from the ashes to become an economic powerhouse.

But this rapid economic growth did not lead to an expansion of public services, but actually contributed to it growing inequality.

Security fences have been installed along the Mapo Bridge over the Han River in Seoul to prevent suicide attempts. NEWS 1

This created a society based on a high level of competitiveness and success, from which many of its citizens suffered psychological problems.

He found this out after the death of his brother Jan had been going to therapy sessions every week for ten years.

“My brother graduated in film theory and was preparing to study abroad. Like many other Korean families, I was under a lot of pressure to succeed. But finances were limited and life was weighing on him,” says Jang.

“My brother struggled intensely with depression. It breaks my heart that I didn’t realize that for so long.”

Since long ago, Experts have highlighted the dangers of a society that focuses too much on personal successusually manifested in terms of money or social status.

“In addition to South Korea’s high suicide rate, there is the sad story of a society with a weak social security system, which is very success-oriented and is usually reflected in the amount of wealth you accumulate,” said Soong-nang Jang, dean of the Chung-Nang community. Ang University College of Nursing.

“And as traditional ties between family members and neighbors weaken, everyone seems to be fighting alone in this battle for success.”

“Let’s talk”

The culture is changing slowly and There is still much to do.

“South Koreans are very used to being at the forefront of this hyper-competitive society, and Korea is not exactly a place where it’s easy to express your feelings,” said Yeon-soo Kim, director of LifeLine Seoul, a charity group that a suicide prevention center that operates 24 hours a day.

“People need more space to freely and safely express their struggles and feelings. “We have to keep reminding people that there are different ways to be successful and really acknowledge that.”

Jang says he and his brother had many characteristics in common, such as being sensitive to the outside world. JANG JUN-HA

Jang now works as a clinical psychologist at a mental health center in Seoul, helping families affected by suicide and those with suicidal thoughts. She also leads support groups for families who have lost loved ones to suicide.

“It’s hard work. Family members are usually the first to discover the body. “They remember the scene vividly and also describe very graphically what happened.”

Jang is aware of it the emotional charge of these conversations.

“But this is valuable work when you see them getting better and better.”

And his family has also achieved a sense of acceptance and understanding.

Jang mentions that His brother left a note asking his parents and him for forgiveness for abandoning them..

Jang told his little brother that “everything is fine” when the family visited his grave one day.

‘You do not have to apologize. “We are doing well, we take care of each other,” says Jang.

“So you don’t have to apologize, we’ll be back.” (JO)