Over 230,000 Reports of Online Suicide-Inducing Information Last Year... 64% Increase from Previous Year

Photo of the SOS Lifeline installed on Mapo Bridge [Image source=Yonhap News]

Recently, there has been an increase in suicide-inducing information online, raising concerns about the need for measures to protect vulnerable youth from such stimuli.

According to the Korea Life Respect Hope Foundation on the 4th, the number of reports of suicide-inducing information last year was 234,064, a 64% increase compared to the previous year (142,725 reports).

The highest number of reports concerned photos and videos related to suicide, totaling 126,742 cases. This was followed by sales and use of suicide-related items (41,210 cases), other suicide-inducing information (41,153 cases), recruitment of suicide companions (18,889 cases), and provision of specific suicide methods (6,070 cases).

Accordingly, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced that it will conduct an intensive online suicide-inducing information cleaning campaign from the 5th to the 16th in collaboration with the National Police Agency and the Korea Life Respect Hope Foundation. This intensive cleaning campaign has been ongoing since 2015, and during the campaign period, any citizen aged 19 or older can participate in blocking suicide-inducing information.

Participation is possible through the Media Suicide Information Monitoring System. Participants search for suicide-inducing information posted online, report it directly to the information and communication service providers, and the information is deleted with the cooperation of these providers. In cases requiring emergency rescue, cooperation with the National Police Agency is ensured.

After the campaign ends, awards from the Minister of Health and Welfare and the Chairman of the Korea Life Respect Hope Foundation will be given to five outstanding participants and four excellent entries in the essay contest.

The Ministry plans to establish a ‘Suicide-Inducing Information Monitoring Center’ to respond more actively to suicide-inducing information in the future, equipped with a dedicated organization and personnel to provide 24-hour monitoring, reporting, emergency rescue, and investigation requests for immediate response.

Additionally, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has a suicide-inducing information inspection team called ‘Jikyeojumin (人)’ that conducts year-round monitoring and reporting of suicide-inducing information.

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