Seoul official links rising male suicides to female dominance, sparks outrage

A Seoul city councilor faced massive criticism. Kim Ki-duk stated that the increase in the number of suicides among men in South Korea is due to the actions of women, who are becoming increasingly dominant in society.

The issue of mental health and taking care of it among men seems to be still in its infancy. The mantra instilled for years that a man has to be strong and not cry is taking a deadly toll among teenagers and men around the world. Asking for help in the fight for a better tomorrow is seen by many as a sign of weakness, while in reality, broken mental health is like a broken leg—it requires medical intervention to regain full function.

A South Korean politician faced massive criticism. Seoul councilor Kim Ki-duk analyzed data on the number of suicide attempts on bridges over the Han River in Seoul. Official reports published by the City Council of the South Korean capital showed an increase in the number of suicide attempts from 430 in 2018 to 1035 in 2023, and the percentage of men among those attempting to take their own lives rose from 67% to 77%.

According to the councilor, the increased rate of suicide attempts among men is linked to the growing influence of women on South Korea. The politician stated that the country recently "began to change into a society dominated by women" and that this could be "partly responsible for the increase in suicide attempts among men."

Song In Han, a professor of mental health at Yonsei University in Seoul, said in an interview with the "BBC": "It is dangerous and unreasonable to make such claims without sufficient evidence." The scientist emphasized that worldwide more men than women take their own lives. He cited the United Kingdom as an example, where suicide is the main cause of death of men under the age of 50.

The politician was accused by many of misogyny and creating divisions between women and men. Yuri Kim, director of the Korean Women's Trade Union, said in an interview with the "BBC": "Such comments show how pervasive misogyny is in South Korea. Blaming women for entering the labour market will only prolong inequalities in our society."

Kim Ki-duk attempted to explain his report. In a statement to the "BBC," he said that he "did not intend to criticize a society dominated by women" but merely expressed his personal opinion on some of its consequences.