Teen suicides prompt mental health overhaul at Korea’s schools
South Korea’s education authorities on Tuesday unveiled a comprehensive plan to strengthen student mental health support, as teenage suicide numbers continued to rise over the past four years, heightening concern over students’ psychological well-being.
According to data released by the Ministry of Education, reported teenage suicides increased from 197 cases in 2021 to 221 in 2024, with the Seoul metropolitan area accounting for 118 cases — more than half of last year’s total.
South Gyeongsang Province and Daegu followed, with 20 and 15 cases, respectively. Other regions all reported fewer than 10 cases.
The ministry said the new measures are intended to address gaps in existing policies by strengthening early intervention, treatment access and long-term follow-up.
Under the plan, the government will deploy mental health professionals to all 176 local education support offices nationwide by 2030, while expanding the number of Mental Health Expert Emergency Response Teams from 56 to 100.
To secure sufficient personnel, the ministry plans to train 200 mental health experts annually through workshops and professional development programs.
Financial support will also be expanded. The Student Mental Health Voucher, which helps cover medical treatment costs, will be broadened to include counseling sessions with external mental health professionals.
In 2026, the government will also create a new budget item for student mental health support within the standard fiscal demand criteria for local education grants.
In addition, retired teachers, social workers, parents and university student volunteers will be mobilized to assist students returning to school after receiving treatment, helping them readjust to school life.
The ministry also plans to enhance access to counseling services. The 24-hour text-based counseling service, Dadeureojulgae — currently operated in cooperation with the Life Insurance Social Contribution Foundation — will be expanded to include phone counseling for students and parents.
The online counseling platform Lime, developed in collaboration with Samsung Financial Networks and Lifeline Korea, will also be promoted to allow students to seek help at any time or place.
To ensure continuity of care, counseling records will be standardized and integrated into an information system so that psychological support can continue seamlessly when students transfer schools or advance to higher levels of education.
Preventive education will be strengthened as well, with social and emotional learning sessions increasing from six to 17 times a year, alongside expanded screening tests to identify students at risk.
The ministry also plans to introduce a nationwide survey to identify factors that undermine student mental health and improve investigations into student suicide cases through expert-led psychological autopsies.
It will also pursue the enactment of a new law outlining the responsibilities of the central and local governments, social and emotional learning, support personnel systems, nationwide surveys and the standardization of counseling frameworks.
Education Minister Choi Kyo-jin said student mental health is no longer an individual issue but a pressing social challenge. “Through this plan, we aim to build a student-centered support system that spans prevention, intervention and recovery,” he said, pledging that no student would be left isolated due to psychological distress.
If you’re thinking about self-harm or suicide, contact the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s helpline at 109, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please request a translator for English-language services.
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