Bringing Together Korean and Japanese Victims of Suicide

Extremely depressing and yet encouraging news that uniting these two historic rivals was a "Korea-Japan symposium held early this week in Seoul to support those who have suffered a suicide in the family" — Families of suicide victims share their anguish.

The report states that in Korea "a total of 99,321 suicides have been committed over the past 10 years" but "[p]olice estimate the actual figure could reach 140,000." It informs us that "[t]hese suicides left nearly 600,000 family members behind" and that two years ago "Korea’s suicide rate of 26 per every 100,000 people was the highest among OECD member states and more than double the average." The report informs us that Japan’s "suicide rate is 25.3 per 100,000 people, slightly lower than the Korean figure of 26."