K-12 suicides in South Korea hit record high last year

(ClipArt Korea)

A total of 243 elementary, middle, and high school students died by suicide in Korea last year, the highest number since such records began, according to a government report. The findings also show that roughly 8 in 10 of these students faced difficulties related to schoolwork, family or friendships within the year before their deaths.

The figures come from a 2025 analysis of student suicide case reports, which Rep. Chung Choon-saeng of the Rebuilding Korea Party obtained from the Ministry of Education and released on Thursday. 

According to the report, the number of student suicides fell from 197 in 2021 to 194 in 2022, before climbing for three consecutive years — to 214 in 2023, 221 in 2024, and 243 last year.

The report is based on an analysis of 242 student suicide case reports, which teachers are required to compile after a student’s suicide, documenting the student’s general condition, attendance record, and the school’s response before and after the death. 

The analysis found that 190 of the students, or 78.5%, had experienced difficulties in the year leading up to their death — including fear of academic failure and conflict with parents.

Dr. Park Jong-ik, a professor of psychiatry at Kangwon National University Hospital, said that adolescent suicide typically stems from a combination of factors rather than any single cause. 

“Youth suicide isn’t just about grades or the pressure of college entrance exams — family problems, peer relationships and bullying or violence all interact and compound one another,” he said. 

He added that as society grows increasingly fragmented, children have fewer people to confide in or turn to for help, and as support systems within families and schools weaken, early detection at school has also fallen short.