South Korean government vows efforts for suicide prevention

SEOUL - South Korea is finally getting serious about preventing suicides with the establishment of a dedicated ministry department with a budget of $9.3 million for 2018.

Health and Welfare Minister Park Neung-hoo said on Thursday that the ministry will set up a team dedicated to lowering the country's suicide rate, which is one of the world's highest, and add 500 more counselors at 241 mental health welfare centers across the nation, starting next year.

"Suicide is not a personal problem anymore, but a national task which our society as a whole should take interest in and try to solve," Park said ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day, which falls on Sunday.