“what’s left for me for the rest of my life is just to be a burden to others, don’t be too sad.  aren’t life and death both part of nature?  don’t feel sorry.  don’t blame anybody . . it’s destiny.”

from former south korean president roh moo-hyun, found as a suicide note after hurling himself off a 30 meter high cliff to his death near his rural home in the village of bongha.

six in every 10 south korean teenagers have thought about taking their own lives at least once . . .

according to statistics, there were 12,174 suicides representing 5% of all deaths in 2007.  it’s also said that an annual average 23.6 koreans committed suicide out of 100,000 people in the last five years, which is one of the highest levels in the world.

i have read on the web of ‘copycat suicides’ becoming a common thing among young south korean actors and actresses.  they say in korea, there exists a high mental and emotional pressure that roots out from their society itself.  depression in fact is a primary factor which triggers them to end their own lives.

suicide affects everyone, directly or indirectly without regards to one’s own culture, social status, education, race nor religion.  suicide is a form of a permanent escape – an irreversible solution, an act of cowardice and a waste of human life.