Suicide Becomes Leading Cause of Death for Koreans from Teens to 40s

SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) -Suicide has become the leading cause of death among South Koreans from their teens through their 40s, with self-inflicted deaths overtaking cancer among people in their 40s for the first time since records began in 1983, according to a government report released Wednesday.
The Statistics Korea data showed suicides accounted for 26.0 percent of deaths among those in their 40s in 2024, surpassing cancer at 24.5 percent.
The total number of suicide deaths reached 14,872 last year, the highest since 2011 and up 6.4 percent from a year earlier. The suicide rate rose to 29.1 per 100,000 people — also the highest since 2011. Men were more than twice as likely to take their own lives as women, with rates of 41.8 versus 16.6 per 100,000.

South Korea’s suicide rate stands out sharply on the global stage, with an OECD-standardized rate of 26.2 per 100,000 — more than double the OECD average of 10.8.
Suicides among younger groups also climbed. Among teenagers, suicides accounted for 48.2 percent of all deaths, up from 46.1 percent a year earlier. In the 30s age group, the share rose to 44.4 percent from 40.2 percent.

Overall deaths in Korea increased 1.7 percent last year to 358,569, reversing a pandemic-era decline. The daily average was 980 deaths. More than half (54.1 percent) were aged 80 or older, reflecting the country’s fast-aging demographics.
Cancer remained the top cause of death overall, responsible for nearly one in four fatalities (24.8 percent). The cancer mortality rate stood at 174.3 per 100,000, led by lung cancer (38.0), liver cancer (20.4), colorectal cancer (19.0), pancreatic cancer (16.0), and stomach cancer (14.1). Deaths from prostate cancer (+9.7 percent), esophageal cancer (+9.0 percent), and pancreatic cancer (+6.7 percent) rose sharply year-on-year.

Seo Hye Seung ellenshs@ajunews.com