Seoul, South Korea – The Life Insurance Social Contribution Foundation announced today that it has provided approximately 3.9 billion won (US$2.9 million) in emergency medical expenses to 5,371 suicide attempt survivors over the past nine years since 2016.
The foundation has been at the forefront of supporting vulnerable individuals who are unable to afford adequate treatment due to financial difficulties. By providing emergency medical assistance and strengthening high-risk group management, the foundation has contributed to preventing repeated suicide attempts and building a robust social safety net.
Beyond financial support, the foundation has partnered with the Life Love Crisis Response Center to offer comprehensive follow-up care, including psychological counseling and social welfare services. This integrated approach has been instrumental in helping survivors regain psychological stability and return to their daily lives.
Last year alone, the foundation supported 665 suicide attempt survivors, with an average of 980,000 won (US$730) provided per individual. This represents a 60.2% increase compared to the 610,000 won (US$450) provided in 2020. Notably, 88.7% of recipients completed at least four hospital-based short-term case management sessions, leading to an average 65.8% reduction in suicide risk.
Since its inception in 2016, this initiative has been a pioneering effort in South Korea. In 2023, the program received government funding, solidifying the partnership between the public and private sectors in ensuring the stability of welfare services. The foundation explained that while government funds support low-income individuals and those earning below 120% of the median income, the foundation focuses on those facing situational or economic crises to minimize welfare gaps.
According to the foundation’s data from last year, 53% of recipients were male, and 42.8% were in their 40s or 50s. The most common method of attempted suicide was poisoning (69.9%). Geographically, Gyeonggi-do province had the highest number of recipients (25.7%), followed by Incheon (16.8%), Chungcheongnam-do (15.8%), and Seoul (15.4%). Additionally, 33.8% of recipients had no income, highlighting the urgent need for economic support.
Established in 2007 by 18 life insurance companies, the Life Insurance Social Contribution Foundation is a public benefit corporation. Beyond providing emergency medical expenses for suicide attempt survivors, the foundation operates various nationwide initiatives, including the SNS counseling platform "Madlen," the SOS Lifeline, and youth counseling programs "Da Deureo Jul Gae" and "Healing Toktok."
Kim Jeong-seok, the executive director of the Life Insurance Social Contribution Foundation, emphasized the foundation's commitment to comprehensive support, stating, "In addition to providing medical expenses, we offer integrated support for psychological recovery and social reintegration. Through collaboration between the public and private sectors, we have achieved significant results in preventing suicide and repeated attempts. The foundation will continue to protect lives in crisis."
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