"Strengthening Respect for Life" Hwaseong City Forms Suicide Countermeasures Task Force for Comprehensive Response

Relocation of the "Suicide Prevention Center"
Strengthening Community-Based Initiatives
Jung: "We Will Create a Society Where All Citizens Are Safe and Respected"

Hwaseong City in Gyeonggi Province has established a dedicated task force to strengthen its suicide prevention initiatives, which are a key focus of the eighth popularly elected administration. To this end, the city recently relocated the "Hwaseong City Suicide Prevention Center" from the Dongtan 7-dong Administrative Welfare Center to the Dongtan Lake Park parking tower.

Hwaseong City is forming a "Suicide Prevention Task Force Team" to strengthen customized local projects. Jung Myunggeun, mayor of Hwaseong City (right), recently visited the "Hwaseong City Suicide Prevention Center," which has established a new base at the Dongtan Lake Park parking tower on the 15th, to review the facility's operation status. Provided by Hwaseong City

On September 15, Jung Myunggeun, mayor of Hwaseong City, visited the newly relocated Hwaseong City Suicide Prevention Center to discuss strategies for implementing suicide prevention projects tailored to the local community. During the visit, Mayor Jung also presided over a consulting report meeting on suicide prevention projects conducted by the Korea Suicide Prevention Foundation in July.

At the meeting, the city officially launched the "Suicide Countermeasures Task Force Team," appointing Jeong Guwon, the first deputy mayor, as the "Suicide Prevention Officer." The task force, led by the Health Policy Division of the Western Public Health Center and joined by nine related departments, will take a comprehensive approach to implementing suicide prevention projects customized for the region.

Established in 2013, the Hwaseong City Suicide Prevention Center carries out activities such as identifying, intervening, and providing follow-up care for high-risk groups; offering customized suicide prevention services for each stage of life; training "Gatekeepers for Life"; and operating the Citizen Mental Health Experience Center (T.T zone) and the Mind Relief Bus.

Since the launch of the eighth administration, the "Hwaseong Mayor's Suicide Prevention Hotline" has been operated, resulting in the protection of 1,674 lives. The city plans to expand and reorganize the suicide prevention hotline, including forming a professional volunteer group composed of about 30 citizen counselors. To this end, recruitment for the volunteer group will begin this month, along with capacity-building training.

The Hwaseong City Suicide Prevention Center is open to all citizens. For more information, please refer to the Hwaseong City Mental Health Welfare Center website or contact the center directly.

Mayor Jung stated, "Protecting lives must be the highest priority above any other policy," adding, "Based on the results of this consulting session, we will strengthen suicide prevention policies tailored to our community and work to create a society where all citizens are safe and respected."

Meanwhile, the city awarded commendations to three individuals who contributed to promoting a culture of respect for life: Jeong Chansik, Chief of Security Information at Hwaseong Dongtan Police Station; Lee Hongjun, social worker at Hwaseong City Mental Health Welfare Center; and Jeong Minkyung, officer at the Western Public Health Center of Hwaseong City.

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