Government Announces Media and Online Measures to Prevent "Werther Syndrome"
Number of Reports Doubled in Three Years
24-Hour AI Monitoring and Strengthened Reporting Guidelines
The government has announced measures for the media and online platforms to prevent the so-called “Werther syndrome,” in which the suicide of a celebrity leads to copycat suicides.
On July 28, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism unveiled the “All-Government Initiative for Suicide Prevention in Media and Online Sectors” at a Cabinet meeting. This is part of the “Nine-Sector Suicide Prevention Measures” discussed at the Cabinet meeting on May 6.
As sensationalized and detailed suicide-related news reports continue, online content that can incite suicide is also on the rise. The number of reports to the Life Respect Hope Foundation has increased each year, from 303,636 cases in 2023 to 401,229 cases in 2024, and 603,383 cases last year.
The Ministry has established measures focusing on three pillars: production, distribution, and protection. In the production sector, the focus is on managing news reporting. The Ministry is requesting restraint in reporting on cases with a high risk of imitation, such as suicides involving celebrities, entire families, and youth. Guidance on communications with the media will be distributed to police division chiefs. The number of violations of reporting guidelines by each outlet will also be made public. Media outlets with accumulated violations will be restricted from participating in projects supported by the Korea Press Foundation.
In the distribution sector, efforts will focus on blocking the online spread of information. The existing dedicated task force and monitoring team will be replaced by a 24-hour AI-based system, and there are plans to introduce an “emergency response authority” for the Broadcast and Media Communications Review Board. Malicious or profit-driven content will be investigated intensively by the cyber police.
In the protection sector, the emphasis will be on supporting high-risk groups. Response techniques tailored to various situations will be produced and provided in drama format, and education on suicide prevention will be incorporated into media literacy programs for youth.
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Choi Huieung, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said, “We will do our utmost to create a healthy media and online environment so that young people can grow up safely online.”
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