Korean Job Discussion Forums

Real Reality · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul

Korea's Suicide Rate Highest in OECD in 2005
The number of suicides rose to an all-time high of 12,000 last year as more people took their own lives amid economic hardship, recording the highest suicide rate among the 30 member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).... South Korea also recorded the highest suicide rate among the OECD member countries.

South Korea also recorded the highest suicide rate among the OECD member countries. Hungary came in second with 22.6, followed by Japan with 20.3.

What was more alarming is that suicide topped the causes of deaths last year for 20-and 30-somethings who were supposed to actively participate in economic activities.... The leading causes of death for people under 20 were traffic accidents, while cancer and blood vessel-related diseases took a grater toll than other causes for people aged 40 or older.
By Lee Hyo-sik, Korea Times (September 18, 2006)
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/200609/kt2006091817320510160.htm

Korea tops OECD suicide list
By Ko Kyoung-tae, The Korea Herald (September 19, 2006)
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2006/09/19/200609190017.asp

S. Korea has top suicide rate among OECD countries: report
Yonhap News (September 18, 2006)
http://english.yna.co.kr/Engnews/20060918/640000000020060918135933E0.html

VanIslander · Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 2:14 am Post subject:

Thanks a gimchillion Real Reality! Very Happy

I have instant course material with a good compare and contrast homework exercise on a timely news story.

Two classes done.
Two more to go for this week.
(in this hagwon job I only teach one adult class per day four days a week)

billybrobby · Joined: 09 Dec 2004

WE'RE NUMBER ONE!!! TAKE THAT, JAPAN!!!

As much as I enjoy Korea, I've always said I would not like to be a Korean man. I would not like to grow up with Korean parents, go to Korean schools, work at a Korean company (forever), or have the Korean language as my only native tongue. I would not, I could not stand to be a Korean man.

blaseblasphemener · Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 3:47 pm Post subject:

markhan · Joined: 02 Aug 2006

No doubt that Korean society is really, intensively competitive. I don't think there is any nation that will deliver food right to your door step for measly 5,000 won. And consequence of such is a high suicide rate. On the other hand, I guess it is one of the reason why Korean-American (Asian-American in general) has done so well academically. Jewish-American and Asian-American although they make up of 5% of US population, they represent 40% of freshman in Yale. Similar stats in most of top university. I also read that among the foreign graduate students in Harvard, students from Seoul National University attained the most PhD degrees.

I personally do not care to live like Korean for i lived in the State for most of my life. It is too competitive for me. But I do not feel sorry for them. Should I feel sorry for people in Switzerland and Denmark because they too also have the highest suicide rate?

It is kind of funny because in some Korean website, some Koreans accuse and comment that foreign English teachers are "unqualified, diploma-forger, womanizer" and that they feel sorry for them for they cannot find the job in their own countries.
In response such remarks, I ask them, "If you are young 20ish, have time to spare and travel to exotic countries before finding a real job, meet and interact with local people, and along the way, save some money, would you do it? Most people would then answer "yes." Only few obstinate ones will cling on and say "yeah, but they are white trash who cant find a job. They are so 불쌍해!.

billybrobby · Joined: 09 Dec 2004

Corporal · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

Personally I attribute it to the recent spate of pomegranate juice commercials.

Real Reality · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul

Soaring suicides
Without a doubt we live in an extremely stressful society. But the many social conditions that drive us to mental strain or anguish can hardly explain the dismaying figure of 14,000 suicides a year, the highest among OECD countries.
Editorial, Korea Herald (October 31, 2006)
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2006/10/31/200610310012.asp

Qinella · Joined: 25 Feb 2005 Location: the crib

My student told me today that her 15-year-old friend jumped from the 12th floor a few days ago because she scored badly on a recent test. It's really heartbreaking to think about how much pressure is heaped onto these poor children. School is just not that important in the grand scheme of things. Or shouldn't be, anyway.

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

It's strange that the country is well-off but the 'happiness does not equal wealth thing' applies. Japan's got its share of woes too. The kids who shut themselves in their rooms for years comes to mind.

Why some poorer countries are happier than some richer ones, who can explain? There's a point to struggling to be well-off even though it doesn't make ya happy?

I guess it's not like people can undo their cultural training. If yr forced to be a certain way, that's hard.

Gwangjuboy · Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Location: England

It doesn't help that Korea is almost as expensive as many countries in the west yet Koreans earn three times less. I often wonder how some of these people live.

seoulsucker · Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 4:33 pm Post subject:

seoulsucker · Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 4:39 pm Post subject:

kat2 · Joined: 25 Oct 2005 Location: Busan, South Korea

My Korean friend last night told me that Koreans can tell if someone is smart by what university they went to. Thats it. Thats the only criteria. So these tests, espcially in high school, are so important. Its sad.

Gwangjuboy · Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Location: England