Students head to crams schools in southern Seoul, in this file photo taken Nov. 9, 2021. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, May 9 (Korea Bizwire) — The number of reports related to teenage suicide has surged after a teenage girl livestreamed her suicide through social media.
The daily average number of reports received during the April 17-24 period marked a 30.1 percent increase compared to the period from April 1 to 16, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
On April 16, a teenage girl jumped from a 19-story building in Gangnam District in Seoul while broadcasting her death live on social media.
“After this incident, the number of reports related to teenage suicide, including suspected suicides and self-inflicted injuries, increased significantly in a short period of time,” said a police official.
The police are taking measures to strengthen online monitoring activities and have requested the Korea Communications Standards Commission to delete about 50 suicide-related postings at the online community DC Inside, which the girl who livestreamed her death participated in.
The commission is currently reviewing the idea of shutting down the community.
On Friday, two teenage members of the community attempted suicide at the Hannam Bridge and broadcasted their attempts live on social media.
From April 17 to May 5, there were 23 reports to the 112 emergency hotline related to teenage suicides in Seoul.
J. S. Shin (js_shin@koreabizwire.com)
