Buddhist organizations in South Korea have joined forces with Christians to confront the country’s escalating rates of suicide and solitary deaths among middle-aged and older adults, a demographic seen to be increasingly vulnerable to isolation and mental health challenges.
Representatives from Catholicism, Protestant Christianity, the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, and Won Buddhism gathered on 26 October for an interfaith forum focused on the suicide crisis among those aged 40 and above, the age group with the highest suicide rate in the nation. Participants called for stronger community networks and government measures to address the growing public health concern.
“Suicide and solitary deaths among middle-aged and older men have become particularly severe since the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Prof. Hwang Soon-chan of Inha University during his keynote speech. He identified contributing factors such as economic instability, declining health, and what he described as “traditional masculinity that avoids seeking help.” (UCA News)
A recent study published in the Journal of the Korean Medical Association, led by Dr. Oh Dae-jong of Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, found that from 2019–23, nearly 10 senior citizens took their own lives every day. Over that five-year period, 18,044 individuals aged 65 and older died by suicide—an average of about 3,000 per year. As recently reported in The Korea Herald newspaper, the suicide rate among older adults in 2023 was 40.6 deaths per 100,000 people, roughly 45 percent higher than the rate among those aged 15–64.
According to government data, South Korea’s elderly population surpassed 10 million in 2024, making the issue both a social and demographic concern.
Faith communities have been stepping in to fill gaps in social support. The Seoul Catholic Social Welfare Association has been operating the Yeon-Go Project since 2023 to assist socially isolated individuals by fostering what it describes as “dense community networks to help isolated neighbors achieve self-reliance,” according to Lee Dong-ho of the organization.
Protestant groups have likewise initiated grassroots outreach. Pastor Choi Seok-jin of Life Hope Church emphasized the importance of personal contact, noting that his church runs community kitchens and delivers meals to residents living alone in goshiwon—small, single-room dwellings common in urban areas. “It’s important to reach out directly,” he said. (UCA News)
From the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, Ven. Hyean, vice president of the Buddhist Counseling Development Institute, encouraged older adults to reconnect with life through altruism and participation. “Older adults should feel alive by helping others,” he said, adding that “true respect for life begins when one changes from being a recipient to a co-creator of life.” (UCA News)
The Institute has been expanding volunteer programs, self-help groups, and educational initiatives aimed at promoting purpose and mental well-being among seniors.
The Won Buddhism Round Heart Counseling Research Center presented examples of counseling programs designed to help middle-aged and elderly participants rediscover meaning and resilience in their lives.
Launched in 2018, the annual interfaith dialogue has sought to promote collaboration among South Korea’s major religions to prevent suicide and strengthen community solidarity. This year’s meeting reflected a shared recognition that the crisis of loneliness and despair among older citizens demands a collective moral and practical response across religious and civic lines.
See more
Religions join to tackle rising suicides among South Korea’s elderly (UCA News)
10 deaths a day as S. Korea’s suicide fight falls short among seniors (The Korea Herald)
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