SEOUL -- South Korea's government is working on a package of measures to reduce the country's high suicide rate, officials said Monday.

File photo shows subway passengers watching television while travelling on Seoul's undeground train network. South Korea's government is working on a package of measures to reduce high suicide rate including plans to expand the number of platform screen doors to stop people jumping under trains. [Agencies]

A plan to be submitted Wednesday focuses on creating a social and economic safety net for low-income families and the old, a welfare ministry official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Among short-term measures, the government will expand the number of platform screen doors to stop people jumping under subway trains and step up support for counselling centres.

It also plans to tighten regulations on the purchase of pesticides often used for suicide and to block access to websites encouraging suicide.

Operators of such websites face punishment but many have dodged government supervision by changing the wording or the address of their pages.

The suicide rate hit a record high for Korea in 2005. It was number one among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development member nations in 2006, with 21.5 in every 100,000 South Koreans killing themselves.

The trend is rising especially among the old, with 72.1 out of 100,000 senior citizens killing themselves in 2006 compared to 28.6 in 1996.

Officials say lack of preparation for an ageing society, rapid changes in social conditions, financial hardship and illness prompt senior citizens to take their own lives.