Focused Management of High Suicide Rate Areas and Facilities... Establishment of 'Regional Emergency Intervention Teams'

Designation of 'Life Respect Cooperation Officers' at Police and Fire Stations... Linked to High-Risk Suicide Prevention Centers
Establishment of 'Life Respect Journalism National Panel'... Raising 'Reporting Guidelines' for Celebrity Suicides

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwangho Lee] From now on, frontline police stations and fire stations will designate 'Life Respect Cooperation Officers' to connect high-risk groups to suicide prevention centers. They will also actively intervene and manage areas with frequent suicides and suicide methods. In addition, a 'Life Respect Journalism National Panel (tentative name)' will be newly established to improve compliance with suicide reporting guidelines when celebrity suicide incidents occur.

Prime Minister Jeong Seyeon presided over the 2nd Suicide Prevention Policy Committee at the Government Seoul Office on the 27th and discussed the 'Community Suicide Prevention Action Plan' containing these measures.

First, Life Respect Cooperation Officers will be designated at frontline police stations and fire stations, which are the first to contact suicide attempters and bereaved families, to actively connect high-risk groups to suicide prevention centers. Regular life-keeper training will be provided to local government officials who frequently interact with the public, and various crisis counseling institutions related to housing, economy, etc., will ensure basic suicide prevention counseling and linkage to suicide prevention centers.

Furthermore, the identification and support for high-risk groups such as suicide attempters will be continuously strengthened, and active intervention and management will be carried out for areas with frequent suicides and suicide methods. The pilot project for designating psychiatric emergency medical institutions will continue, and regional emergency intervention teams responding 24/7 to suicide attempts will be established and operated from the second half of this year. Residential areas with multiple suicides will be linked with social welfare centers and eup/myeon/dong offices to provide mental health services, and publicity will be strengthened to facilitate easy access to help institution information. Safety facilities such as emergency rescue devices (motion detectors, etc.) will be installed on bridges where suicides have occurred, and rooftop automatic opening devices will be installed on high-rise buildings. Plans will also be made to distribute low-toxic gas briquettes (R&D) to reduce harmful gas emissions.

In addition, the Life Respect Journalism National Panel will be newly established to improve compliance with suicide reporting guidelines when celebrity suicide incidents occur. Together with related academic societies, information to dispel prejudices about psychiatry and psychological counseling will be provided to foster a culture of life respect.

On this day, the committee also discussed the promotion of suicide prevention policies in response to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

Since economic difficulties and social distancing (distancing in daily life) after COVID-19 may increase feelings of isolation, information on support for vulnerable areas such as small business support, job support, and emergency disaster relief funds promoted through the Emergency Economic Measures Meeting will be intensively publicized and managed.

Separately, the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Central Accident Response Headquarters has newly established and operates a 'Psychological Support Team' to promote national psychological quarantine in response to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, Kiseon Wan, President of the Korea Suicide Prevention Association, and Kim Donghoon, President of the Korea Journalists Association, were additionally appointed as private members representing the fields of mental health and media to the committee.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.