Bridge Signs Used in South Korea Anti-Suicide Efforts

South Korea has the highest rate among countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. That may have something to do with the intense pressure on Koreans to succeed at school and on the job.

Government officials are trying to do something to address the issue, though. In Seoul, they recently targeted a bridge that’s become a popular spot for suicide attempts.

Looking over the guardrails of the Mapo Bridge, it’s a 60-foot drop into the Han River. That’s probably not high enough to die on impact, but that hasn’t stopped many people from trying.

Over the past five years, at least 100 South Koreans have jumped into the river. About half of those died from. Of the 31 bridges across the Han, Mapo seems to be the top choice for jumpers.

Tired of it being referred to as the bridge of death, the Seoul City government recently made some changes to the bridge. Now officials are calling it the Bridge of Life.

Instead of installing high fences to deter jumpers, officials chose a strategy of appealing to a person’s emotions.

Park Young-ki of the Korea Suicide Prevention Group was contracted by the city to give Mapo Bridge a new look.

“Most people commit suicide because they have trouble communicating and feel isolated,” Park said. “So this bridge will make people feel they are wanted and help them open up too.”

All along the guardrails are inspirational slogans that light up as you pass by. They say things like, “how are you doing,” “Isn’t it nice to be walking on a bridge,” and “Did you eat anything yet?”

There are also pictures of babies on the rail, and at the center of the bridge is a bench with a brass statue of a stooped young man, being comforted with a pinch on the left cheek by a grandfatherly looking gentlemen.

If anything, it’s a unique approach to suicide prevention in the country has one of the highest suicide rates in the world.
But not everyone is impressed by the Bridge of Life and its positive messages.

“I was just walking here, talking to you, and I didn’t even notice it here,” said Dr. Kim Hyun-chung, a psychiatrist at the National Medical Center in Seoul, who came along with me to check out the new installations on the bridge.

She says she thinks some of the new features could actually be counter productive. She stops to look at a pictures of a baby.

“It might make someone more sad, because maybe they lost a child. It could be someone they miss very much and want to go with them.”

Kim says the officials missed an opportunity. The new signs and images don’t provide any help if a person with suicidal thoughts decides to walk back off the bridge.

“Maybe they’re trying to move your emotions a bit, but maybe they should give out more facts, like there are people willing to listen to you, there are better ways to solve your problems, please contact such and such a number. Maybe that would have been more helpful,” she said.

Suicide is still a taboo subject in South Korea, Kim says, and there’s no public dialogue about it, which leaves many people feeling it’s an acceptable way out of their problems.

Park Young-ki, the Bridge of Life consultant, acknowledges the new features don’t tackle all of the issues, but it’s a start.
“There is a need for suicide education and our organization is working to put similar messages not just on bridges, but also in schools,” he said.

Dr. Kim Hyun-chung concedes that at least the government is trying to address Korea’s suicide problem. But she says depressed people need more help than just positive messages on light-up guardrails.

“It just makes them more lonely,” she said. “We need to have more interest in people around us and listen to their difficulties. Nowadays people are so busy and caught up with their own problems; they really don’t have time to listen to one another.”

Kim says maybe suicide attempts at the Mapo Bridge will go down now, but if someone is really determined to jump to their death, there are plenty of other bridges across the Han River.