The Korea Herald

피터빈트

[Graphic News] Economic burden of suicide, depression surging in Korea

By Korea Herald

Published : Jan. 7, 2014 - 20:48

    • Link copied

The socioeconomic costs of suicides and depression jumped more than 40 percent between 2007 and 2011, a report showed on Tuesday.

According to the state-run National Health Insurance Service, Korea saw 10.38 trillion won ($9.71 billion) in economic losses as an effect of people committing suicide or suffering from depression in 2011, a 41.5 percent increase from the 7.33 trillion won recorded in 2007.

The report studied medical costs spent by people diagnosed with depression as well as financial and productivity losses incurred by working people committing suicides.