More than 18,000 South Koreans aged 65 and older died by suicide over the past five years. (Image courtesy of Yonahp)
Experts call for targeted, integrated mental health strategies as older adults face higher suicide risk and lower access to care
SEOUL,August 5 (Korea Bizwire) — More than 18,000 South Koreans aged 65 and older died by suicide over the past five years, averaging more than 10 deaths per day, according to new findings that highlight the urgent need for early detection and intervention among high-risk seniors.
The data, drawn from Statistics Korea’s cause-of-death records, shows 18,044 elderly suicides between 2019 and 2023. In 2023 alone, 3,838 seniors died by suicide, translating to an average of 10.5 deaths per day.
The suicide mortality rate for those 65 and older stood at 40.6 per 100,000 last year—down from 46.6 in 2019, but still 45% higher than the rate for adults aged 15 to 64.
In a recent article published in the Journal of the Korean Medical Association, Dr. Oh Dae-jong of Kangbuk Samsung Hospital emphasized that elderly suicide requires a distinct approach from that of younger age groups.
“Late-life suicide is driven by complex factors beyond mental illness,” he wrote, citing chronic physical conditions, unrelieved pain, financial stress, social isolation, and unresolved interpersonal conflicts.
South Korea’s elderly poverty rate remains the highest among OECD nations. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
Dr. Oh noted that depressive symptoms in older adults often manifest not as sadness but as anhedonia, lethargy, or withdrawal—factors that are frequently overlooked, especially amid cultural stigma surrounding mental health. Many seniors do not seek psychiatric care before attempting suicide, making early identification even more critical.
The study also found that elderly individuals are more likely to act decisively and lethally when attempting suicide, often using fatal means such as pesticide ingestion or hanging. Recovery rates among elderly attempters are correspondingly lower.
Other contributing risk factors include recent diagnoses of physical illness, loss of a spouse or close relationship, and feelings of being a burden or lacking social belonging.
“Suicide attempts among older adults are far more likely to result in death, and they often occur without prior contact with mental health services,” Dr. Oh warned. “This makes proactive identification and timely intervention absolutely essential.”
He called for better training of “gatekeepers”—medical professionals and community members able to detect early verbal, emotional, or behavioral warning signs—and emphasized that suicide prevention must be a coordinated, multi-layered effort involving both the healthcare system and local communities.
The findings come amid broader national concern about South Korea’s persistently high elderly suicide rate, one of the highest among OECD nations, even as its population ages at one of the fastest rates globally.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
