We Need Specialized Services to Prevent Suicide

Preliminary candidate Lee Ki-woo met with An Byung-eun, director of the Suwon Suicide Prevention Center, on the 6th at Our Neighborhood Coffee Shop in Uman-dong, Paldal-gu, to discuss measures for suicide prevention and establish practical policies.

The preliminary candidate expressed concern, stating "As the aging of the population progresses, the suicide rate among the elderly is also rising," and noted that "the suicide rate for elderly people aged 65 to 74 is 81.8 per 100,000 population, which is 4 to 5 times higher than in Japan or the United States."

He also said, "To avoid service inefficiency and overlapping support, it is necessary to integrate programs from multiple institutions," adding "I will develop a Suwon-style business model that links social service sectors provided through vouchers to social enterprises and operates personnel and programs in an integrated manner."

The discussion took place at Our Neighborhood Coffee Shop in Uman-dong, where An Byung-eun, the director and a psychiatrist, operates a social enterprise for employment opportunities for people with mental disabilities.