Enhancing Control Over Means of Suicide

Tailored to Regional Characteristics

- Concentrated management of carbon monoxide, pesticides, and bridges

through public-private cooperation -

The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW, Minister Cho, KyooHong) announced that it will select 13 regional (city/province) suicide prevention centers for the 2024 Suicide Means Restriction Project to control frequently used means of suicide such as carbon monoxide, pesticides, and bridges according to the frequency and characteristics in each region.

Controlled Categories of 2024 Suicide Means Restriction Project>

The project was first launched in 2018 as the “Support Project for Prevention of Suicide by Carbon Monoxide Poisoning” to reduce the suicide rate by controlling the use of ignition coal (carbon monoxide-creating substance), which is frequently used as a means of suicide.

This year, the MOHW renamed the project the “Suicide Means Restriction Project” for more intensive control over means of suicide according to their regional characteristics, allowing cities and provinces to choose specific categories to control, among carbon monoxide, pesticide, and bridge (multiple choice available).

Through the Suicide Means Restriction Project, businesses selling ignition coal and pesticides (supermarkets, stores, etc.) and lodging facilities (motels, hotels, etc.) will be designated as the “Agency for Life Respect Initiative” to cooperate with suicide prevention centers. Once designated as “Agency for Life Respect Initiative”, supermarkets and other stores should improve their sales methods*, and lodging facilities should engage in suicide prevention activities such as installing carbon monoxide detectors or monitoring for reporting signs of suicide among guests. As of 2023, there were 6,411 Life Love Agencies nationwide.

* Removing ignition coal products from shop displays, asking about the purpose of buying the products, referring customers to Suicide Helpline (109), etc.

Daegu Metropolitan Government and Jeollanam-do Provincial Government will carry out projects to block access to bridges frequently used as a means of suicide. The projects will include setting up safety facilities on the bridges and posting information about the suicide prevention hotline (109).

Director General for Mental Health Policy Lee Hyung-hoon of the MOHW commented on the project, saying, “The Suicide Means Restriction Project holds great significance as a concrete project to prevent suicides through collaboration between suicide prevention centers and the private sector such as stores and lodging establishments to control means of suicide.” He added, “Limiting access to means of suicide is one of the suicide prevention strategies recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), and we hope that the strengthened control over suicide means will lead to a reduction in the overall suicide rate.” ///