South Korea plans overhaul of mental health policy

SEOUL - South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on June 26 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 general perceptions towards mental illness.

The government will roll out an expanded state budget to address people’s mental health starting in 2025.

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 (S$292 million) solely for 2025, adding that the budget proposal has yet to be made.

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

This came as a presidential committee, launched on June 26, laid out the timeframe for the policy implementation concerning mental illness prevention, treatment and recovery.

At least one million South Korean citizens would have access to mental health counselling services beginning in July, Mr Yoon said. His goal is to fulfill the one million mark before his five-year term ends in 2027.

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

Mr Yoon’s office estimates the number of those using counselling services will be at least 80,000 by the end of 2024, 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.

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

Also, starting in January 2025, young adults will be eligible for state-backed mental health check-ups once every two years.

Currently, no young adults – those aged between 20 and 34 under South Korean rules – can get mental health check-ups more than once every 10 years through the National Health Insurance Service.

Moreover, South Korea will add one centre in 2025 and hire more crisis counsellors for its national suicide prevention hotline.

“Many citizens are suffering from depression and anxiety because of excessive competition in the society,” Mr 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 centres will increase threefold to 32, as well as the number of hospital beds in the centres.

In line with this, the number of frontline mental health care personnel will jump by 50 per cent to 306 by the end of 2024.

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

These would be among 39 policy goals mapped out on June 26. According to Mr 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 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) 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 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. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK