Teachers' Unions Criticize Youth Suicide Measures as Focusing Only on 'Management' While Leaving Competitive Education Unchanged

Ministry of Education Announces "Comprehensive Government Initiative for Teenage Suicide Prevention"
KTU: "A Measure That Sidesteps the Core of the Problem"
"We Must Confront the Competitive Education System and the Collapse of the School Community First"

The government has introduced a "Teenage Suicide Prevention Plan," but critics argue that the initiative focuses solely on "counseling" and "management" while leaving unchanged the educational environment that pushes students into extreme competition.

On June 9, the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU) commented on the Ministry of Education's announcement of the "Comprehensive Government Initiative for Teenage Suicide Prevention," stating, "This is a measure that sidesteps the core of the problem in the face of a national crisis marked by rising youth suicides."

Minister of Education Kyojin Choi is announcing the government-wide promotion measures for suicide prevention among teenagers on the 9th at the Seoul Government Complex in Jongno-gu, Seoul. 2026.6.9 Photo by Yongjun Cho

The KTU stated, "While claiming to reduce youth suicide, the plan simply expands counseling, treatment, and crisis student management measures without addressing the reality of education that drives young people into fierce competition. To resolve the youth mental health crisis, we must first confront the competitive education system and the collapse of the school community."

According to the government announcement, the number of teenage suicide deaths rose by 45.1% in ten years, from 273 in 2016 to 396 in 2025. The number of psychiatric patients aged 0-19 per 10,000 people also increased by 57.3%, from 27.4 in 2021 to 43.1 last year.

Regarding this, the KTU interpreted it as "an alarm bell signaling the youth mental health crisis is escalating to the level of a social disaster." The union noted, "Youth suicide is a tragic outcome that reveals what kind of lives our education system and society are forcing upon young people. This is not a problem that can be solved by adding a few more counselors or programs; we need to shift away from competition-centered education toward an approach that focuses on student growth and relationships."

The KTU further pointed out, "Even though it is well known that competitive education threatens youth mental health, there has been no decisive policy action to reduce competition. As with recent measures targeting private education expenses, the authorities have again focused on increasing measurable projects and management indicators while neglecting the root causes."

The union urged the government and the Ministry of Education, "We must not waste any more time with superficial, showy measures. To truly resolve youth suicide, national resources should be focused on the fundamental tasks of easing entrance exam competition, restoring school communities, and establishing support systems for students in emotional crisis."

The Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations (KFTA) also issued a statement on the same day, saying, "We welcome the government's active response, given the state's responsibility and the need for preventive policies for suicide." However, the KFTA added, "It is regrettable that there is still a lack of deep consideration and countermeasures regarding the root causes behind the surge in students facing mental health crises."

In response to these criticisms, an official from the Ministry of Education explained, "The reasons for youth suicide are complex. There are intrinsic factors, such as academic stress and competitive pressure, but there are also extrinsic pressures from society and families that unconsciously instill fear of failure. That is why this initiative focuses on the mental health of high-risk groups." The official added, "From an educational policy perspective, we will prepare separate measures."

On this day, the Ministry of Education stated that a total of 15 government ministries and agencies will prepare response measures to address teenage suicide and mental health problems.

In schools, the number of cross-curricular social-emotional education sessions will be increased from the current six to seventeen to strengthen suicide prevention. Programs targeting digital overdependence and information that induces self-harm or suicide will also be implemented to reduce suicide risk factors.

High-risk youth will receive support through "Mind CPR (tentative name) education," the "One-Stop Service for Isolated and Reclusive Youth" at Youth Support Centers, and the "Regional Youth Life Protection Safety Net Council (tentative name)," which will be operated under the leadership of local government suicide prevention coordinators with the participation of education offices, creating a rapid response system.

There will also be an expansion of financial and human resources. The government will gradually increase the "student mental health support fund" within the standard fiscal demand, aiming for a level equivalent to 1% of the general grant total. About 200 dedicated personnel will be secured at education offices to exclusively handle student mental health support work. The enactment of the "Act on Promoting Student Mental Health and Supporting Emotional and Behavioral Health," sponsored by Assemblywoman Go Minjung in March, is expected to provide the basis for establishing specialized institutions.

Additionally, the government will faithfully implement the "Youth Psychological Autopsy Project," which will be launched in earnest next year, and systematically analyze the digital records and death statistics left by suicide victims to reduce cases classified as "unknown cause." Other measures include managing suicide-prone locations, such as bridges and high-rise buildings, providing guidelines for overdependence on artificial intelligence (AI), and conducting campaigns in cooperation with the private sector.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.