November 10, 2025
SEOUL – Four in 10 patients who visited emergency rooms after attempting self-harm or suicide last year were in their teens or 20s, government data showed Sunday.
According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, 35,170 people sought emergency care nationwide last year after such attempts. While the figure was down 11,189 from a year earlier, they still accounted for 0.8 percent of all emergency room patients — the same proportion for three consecutive years — as overall emergency room visits also declined.
By gender, women and girls accounted for 61.1 percent of self-harm or suicide attempts, while men and boys made up 38.9 percent.
By age, people in their 20s made up the largest share at 23.6 percent, followed by teens at 16.3 percent, those in their 30s at 14.7 percent and those in their 50s at 13.1 percent. Combined, those in their teens and 20s accounted for 39.9 percent of all attempts — roughly 4 in 10 cases.
January had the highest share of hospital visits related to self-harm or suicide attempts at 10.7 percent, followed by April at 9.3 percent and February at 9.1 percent.