SEOUL, Aug. 4 (Korea Bizwire) — SOS Hotline phones installed on Han River bridges have served as a lifeline for those who are contemplating suicide.
According to data compiled by the Life Insurance Philanthropy Foundation, the operator of the SOS Hotline, the number of calls for counseling through the hotline totaled 8,615 cases since it was introduced first in July 2011.
The SOS Hotline refers to the telephones installed on the bridges of the Han River to provide counseling to those who consider suicide. At present, a total of 75 telephones are installed on 20 bridges.
The foundation operates the telephone counseling service 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. In emergency cases, it launches rescue operations together with the police.
According to the foundation’s analysis, the telephone counseling service has rescued a total of 1,808 people who contemplated suicide.
The foundation is a non-profit foundation established in 2007 under a joint agreement between the nation’s 19 life insurance companies.
Image Credit: Yonhap / Life Insurance Philanthropy Foundation / photonews@koreabizwire.com
