The government said Wednesday it aims to drastically reduce the suicide rate by shoring up support for people who have previously attempted to take their own lives as well as mothers suffering from postpartum depression.
In its latest draft of the suicide prevention guideline, released online, the government targets a 30 percent reduction in the annual number of suicides to below 16,000 in the next decade.
Although total suicides have been on the decline for the seventh consecutive year, falling to 21,897 in 2016, the government acknowledged that "an alarming situation is continuing," as the rate remains high compared with other developed countries.