South Korea plans overhaul of mental health policy

State support needed for Koreans suffering from excessive competition, says Yoon

President Yoon Suk Yeol (left) speaks during a meeting of a presidential committee dedicated to expanding state support and changing the general perception toward mental illness in Seoul on Wednesday. (Yonhap)

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday vowed an overhaul of the nation's mental health policy as he presided over the first meeting of a presidential committee dedicated to expanding state support and changing the general perception toward mental illness.

The government will start injecting an expanded state budget to address people's mental health starting next year. According to a senior official from the presidential office who declined to be named, the state support package is estimated to cost roughly 300 billion won ($215.7 million) solely for next year, adding the budget proposal has yet to be made.

Quoting a World Bank analysis, Yoon said at the meeting of the newly-launched presidential committee in Seoul that social stigma toward people with mental illness is the biggest obstacle in their treatment, and creating an understanding that those living with mental illnesses can receive treatment and do not pose a threat to others will become a national priority through the end of his tenure in 2027.

This came as a presidential committee, launched Wednesday, laid out the timeframe for the policy implementation concerning mental illness prevention, treatment and recovery.

At least 1 million South Korean citizens would have access to mental health counseling services beginning in July, Yoon said. Yoon's goal is to fulfill the 1 million mark until his five-year term ends in 2027.

Every applicant of the service will receive eight counseling sessions, which will be partially or entirely reimbursed by the state depending on the applicant's income level, according to Yoon's office.

Yoon's office estimates the number of those using counseling services will amount to at least 80,000 by the end of this year, and more people will gradually gain access to such services -- up to 500,000 in 2027 -- as the mental health care infrastructure expands in the country.

Yoon said the counseling services are aimed at preventing mental health struggles caused by a highly competitive society.

Also, starting in January next year, young adults will be eligible for state-backed mental health checkups every two years. Currently, no young adults -- aged between 20 and 34 under South Korean rules -- can get mental health checkups more than once every 10 years through the National Health Insurance Service.

Moreover, South Korea will add one center next year and hire more crisis counselors for its national suicide prevention hotline.

"Many citizens are suffering from depression and anxiety because of excessive competition in the society," Yoon said. "Early detection of mental illness is important so that the feeling of depression or anxiety would not develop into mental illnesses."

Also, by 2028, the number of mental health emergency medical centers will increase threefold to 32, as well as the number of hospital beds in the centers.

In line with this, the number of frontline mental health care personnel will jump by 50 percent to 306 by the end of this year.

More mental rehabilitation facilities will be built across the country, while 50 new houses will be provided for those needing mental health care.

These would be among 39 policy goals mapped out Wednesday. According to Yoon's office, the presidential committee will hold meetings at least twice every year.

South Korea has recorded the highest suicide rate among 38 nations surveyed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development for almost 20 years. South Korea recorded 25.2 deaths per 100,000 people in 2022, more than double the OECD average. South Korea's life satisfaction level was ranked 35th out of 38 nations between 2020 and 2022.

Seoul hopes the renewed plan will help cut the national suicide rate in half by 2030.

By Son Ji-hyoung(consnow@heraldcorp.com)