Choo Mi-ae Declares 'Life-Safe Gyeonggi Province'... "Will Reduce Suicide Rate by 20% by 2030"

Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae officially announced the life-safety vision for the ninth elected provincial government to create a 'Life-Safe Gyeonggi Province' where not a single life is lost.

At the '2026 Suicide Prevention Day Commemorative Event' held at the Dasan Hall of the Gyeonggi Provincial Government building on the 14th, Governor Choo set a goal to reduce the suicide death rate per 100,000 population from 28.2 in 2024 to 22.6 by 2030—a 20% reduction—through 'Life-Safety 100·10·1'.

The event was held to commemorate Suicide Prevention Day (September 10), promote a culture of respect for life, and share the direction and commitment to action of the life-safety network involving the province, municipalities, and related agencies.

Governor Choo stated, "As of 2024, 3,829 Gyeonggi residents ended their own lives, and the adolescent suicide rate reached 8.3 per 100,000, the highest figure ever recorded since statistics began. We must first ask ourselves why people have become so distressed, why they couldn't find help, but we have failed to do so. We need to change from a society that demands individuals to be stronger to one where people can lean on each other when facing hardship. When the weight of life becomes too much for one person to bear, sharing that burden is the role of community and the responsibility of government," he said.

The 'Life-Safety 100·10·1' presented by Gyeonggi Province means △100% establishment of life-safety networks △focused management of 10 priority life-safety tasks △one-stop life-safety services that don't overlook even a single person.

According to Gyeonggi Province's psychological autopsy results (systematic investigation and analysis of psychological and social factors that influenced suicide victims' final period of life), 64.7% of suicide victims experienced four or more complex stress events—such as mental health issues, economic hardship, unemployment, illness, and family problems—before their deaths. In 2024, a total of 3,829 Gyeonggi residents lost their lives to suicide in the province, an average of more than 10 people per day.

The event, held under the theme 'Connecting Lives, Linking Hope in Gyeonggi Province,' was attended by approximately 350 people including Governor Choo Mi-ae, Kim Dong-gyu, Chairman of the Gyeonggi Provincial Council's Health and Welfare Committee and councilors, Baek Jong-woo, Vice Chairman of the National Public Safety Committee, members of the dedicated suicide prevention task force (TF), municipal suicide prevention officials, religious leaders, police, firefighters, and bereaved family representatives.

Following the vision declaration, commemorative photos were taken of 29 meritorious persons who contributed to protecting residents' lives. Participants shared the policy direction of 'detecting first, connecting surely, and staying together to the end' and reaffirmed their commitment to comprehensive provincial government and public-private cooperation.

Subsequently, Professor Kim Hyun-soo from the Department of Psychiatry at Myongji Hospital chaired the 'Gyeonggi Province Suicide Prevention Policy Forum,' where discussions were held on strengthening public-private cooperation and implementing field-centered suicide prevention policies.