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🇰🇷 South Korea /Elections & Politics

President Lee hails suicide reduction as top achievement, but warns 'long way to go'

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

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  • President Lee Jae-myung highlighted a 12.7% decrease in suicide deaths in the first half of 2026 as his administration's most significant accomplishment.
  • He shared statistics showing 6,278 suicides in the first half of 2026, a reduction of 910 from the same period in 2025.
  • Lee emphasized that improving livelihoods and the economy is crucial for fostering hope and further reducing suicides.

President Lee Jae-myung has declared a significant drop in suicide deaths as the top achievement of his government, while also stressing that the fight against suicide is far from over. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Lee shared statistics revealing that 6,278 people died by suicide in the first half of 2026. This figure represents a 12.7% decrease, or 910 fewer deaths, compared to the 7,188 suicides recorded in the first half of 2025.

Our government's greatest achievement.

— President Lee Jae-myungReferring to the decrease in suicide deaths in the first half of 2026.

Lee described the substantial reduction in suicides as "the most meaningful and greatest achievement" of his administration, emphasizing the invaluable nature of human life. However, he cautioned that "there is still a long way to go," stating that the current suicide rate needs to be halved. He asserted that while practical measures like personnel, organization, and budget are important, the most fundamental solution lies in creating a society filled with hope.

There is still a long way to go.

— President Lee Jae-myungAcknowledging the ongoing challenge of suicide prevention.

The president linked this hope directly to economic improvement and the resolution of people's livelihood issues. "The most urgent task was for the government to focus on the economy and people's livelihoods, and to turn the economic growth rate, which was falling to the 0% range, into an upward trend," he explained. This underscores his administration's focus on economic recovery as a key strategy for mental well-being.

The most meaningful and greatest achievement.

— President Lee Jae-myungDescribing the reduction in suicide numbers.

Lee's remarks followed a share of statistics initially posted by Na Jong-ho, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine. Na had previously commented that the decrease in suicides was "something the entire nation should rejoice over." Na expressed his gratitude for the president sharing his post, hoping it would provide some momentum for suicide prevention efforts. He also mentioned having previously advised former President Yoon Suk-yeol on the issue and expressed a strong desire to meet anyone who could help solve Korea's suicide problem, concluding with a fervent wish for the downward trend to continue.

What could be more precious than a human life?

— President Lee Jae-myungEmphasizing the value of life in the context of suicide prevention.
About this summary

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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