Korean Job Discussion Forums

[hawaiiguy]

Has anyone seen this story? Those of you living in Korea, please comment. What do you think is driving this increase?

"South Korea has the fourth-highest suicide rate among the 30 industrialised countries in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. It recorded 22.8 suicide deaths for every 100,000 people in 2003 — lower than Hungary, Finland and close neighbour Japan — but the number is growing by about 1 percent each year, faster than in all other OECD nations."

Aloha,
Dave

[fidel]

The desire to be number 1....in everything.

[Zenpickle]

It seems to be glorified in movies and music videos -- the image of a beautiful young woman jumping off a bridge because her boyfriend was caught with someone else.

[funplanet]

the realization that they are KOREAN and nobody gives a hoot

[hypnotist]

I can tell you why Finland is so high.

One of my colleagues arriving late at night, some time in November: "When does the sun come up?"
Taxi driver: "April.."

[peemil]

[peppermint]

I think the idea that it's better to die than to live and be ashamed has pretty strong roots here.

[Cthulhu]

A troubled economy and loads of personal debt built up over a relatively short period of time.

[Paddycakes]

I'm wondering if there is a Korean musical equiv to "Morrissey" or the "The Smiths" that you can pin the blame on...


Smiths Version.........................Korean Version

The Queen is Dead...................The Kimchie is Stale
This Charming Man...................This Charming Salaryman

Oh, I could go on....

[Real Reality]

35% of Koreans Considered Suicide
Thirty-five percent of South Koreans have considered committing suicide at least once, according to a survey by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs (KIHASA) on Thursday.

The survey, conducted among 1,025 people aged 15 to 69, found that 360 respondents, or 35 percent, said they had thought about killing themselves at least once and 17 percent said they had thought about it over the past 12 months.
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/200502/kt2005021718015610440.htm

[tommynomad]

[I_Am_Wrong]

Peppermint has got it.

Remember the story of the high school teacher in Suwon that use excessive force on students and was filmed with a cell phone camera? The story received a lot of press but nothing was really done about the teacher (moved to another school or something apparently) but the school Principal took his own life due to the shame.

[Skippy]

I would look at where you got this stat. If you got it from a Korean paper this should not surprise you. All little something for you to think about

In Korea all stats that are bad but show a high rate is good.
"Korea is Number one for new smokers" Yay
"Korea has most dangerous roads accoring to stay" who hoo we are NUMBER ONE


Remember in the end it is a stat.

Another note - People many times in there life will contemplate suicide the good think is most people do not act upon those thoughts. That little stat article was spurious.

Skippy

[yomuthabyotch]

[Len8]

A few years ago there was a problem at some elementry school over a female teacher being asked to serve coffee to the Vice Principle. The teacher refused saying it was below her to have to do it, and called the teachers union for advice. They advised her not to, and then the whole thing became public. Newspapers and TV played the story up big.

Sad thing about it though was that the Principle committed suicide.

I heard that the other school principles in the area ganged up against him, and that ostracisim became too much for him.