By Lee Han-soo
Koreans regard people who attempt suicide as immoral, selfish and unfilial, according to a research published in a Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs report on Sunday.
The researchers, from Ewha Womans University, said this view was one of the "main reasons Korea ranks low among the world providing mental health services despite the country's high suicide rate."
The research showed that many Koreans see people who try to kill themselves as immoral, selfish, excluded from society, or suffering from a personality disorder. They were also considered incompetent, victims of past trauma, and decisive.
In the survey-based research, most Koreans who regarded people who attempted suicide as immoral thought the person hurt others, had a violent nature and lacked morality.
"In Korea, suicide is not seen as an illness that can be treated but rather as a problem on which people can judge the person's morality," said the research report.
Selfishness, the second-most common view, derives from the nation's strong Confucianism tradition. To these people, people who attempt suicide are unfilial and egocentric.
"For Koreans, suicide is considered personal deviant behavior that does not take into account the family or the people around the suicide attempter," the report said.
"The idea of selfishness reflects these cultural characteristics."
Apart from those who saw people attempting suicide as decisive _ a person with determination _ all six opinions blamed the people who tried to kill themselves rather than recognizing their need for help.
The researchers say Korea needs to "improve such a misguided view that connects suicide with personal qualities and abilities."
Koreans regard people who attempt suicide as immoral, selfish and unfilial, according to a research published in a Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs report on Sunday.
The researchers, from Ewha Womans University, said this view was one of the "main reasons Korea ranks low among the world providing mental health services despite the country's high suicide rate."
The research showed that many Koreans see people who try to kill themselves as immoral, selfish, excluded from society, or suffering from a personality disorder. They were also considered incompetent, victims of past trauma, and decisive.
In the survey-based research, most Koreans who regarded people who attempted suicide as immoral thought the person hurt others, had a violent nature and lacked morality.
"In Korea, suicide is not seen as an illness that can be treated but rather as a problem on which people can judge the person's morality," said the research report.
Selfishness, the second-most common view, derives from the nation's strong Confucianism tradition. To these people, people who attempt suicide are unfilial and egocentric.
"For Koreans, suicide is considered personal deviant behavior that does not take into account the family or the people around the suicide attempter," the report said.
"The idea of selfishness reflects these cultural characteristics."
Apart from those who saw people attempting suicide as decisive _ a person with determination _ all six opinions blamed the people who tried to kill themselves rather than recognizing their need for help.
The researchers say Korea needs to "improve such a misguided view that connects suicide with personal qualities and abilities."
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