Student Suicides Up Nearly 65% Over 5 Years, Reaching Record High of 244 Last Year

The number of suicides among elementary, middle, and high school students has increased by nearly 65% over the past five years.

According to data submitted by the Ministry of Education to Representative Kim Moon-su of the National Assembly's Education Committee for the parliamentary audit, a total of 244 students (6 in elementary school, 92 in middle school, and 146 in high school) took their own lives nationwide last year.

This figure is one more than the 243 cases tallied by the Ministry of Education when it announced the "Pan-Governmental Countermeasures for Preventing Teen Suicide" in June last year.

The number increased by 23 (10.4%) from 221 in 2024, marking an all-time high, and rose by 96 (64.9%) over a five-year period compared to 2020.

By region, student suicides increased significantly in Seoul, Busan, and South Gyeongsang Province.

Last year, the number of student suicides in Seoul stood at 51, up 11 from 40 in 2024 and 29 more than the 22 recorded in 2020.

Busan recorded 22 cases last year, more than triple the number from 2024, while South Gyeongsang Province saw 25 cases last year, an increase of 5 in a single year.

On the other hand, Gyeonggi Province, which has the largest student population, reported 51 student suicides last year, a decrease of 12 from 63 in 2024, marking the lowest figure since 2021.

Analyses indicate that factors behind the students' extreme choices included family and interpersonal issues, harmful online information, and academic or career concerns.

According to Ministry of Education data, family issues were the most common known cause of student suicides last year with 77 cases.

This was followed by psychiatric issues with 58 cases, academic and career concerns with 54 cases, and interpersonal problems with 38 cases, while the cause was unknown in 79 cases.

Academic and career concerns were estimated to be a factor in more than one out of every five student suicide cases last year.

※ If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or difficult concerns to share, you can receive 24-hour counseling from professionals through the suicide prevention helpline at ☎109 or the suicide prevention social media counseling service 'Madeulan'.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.