1 in 4 patient suicide, self-harm incidents at hospitals prove fatal

More than 100 suicide and self-harm incidents involving patients were reported at South Korean medical facilities in each full year from 2022 to 2025, with about 1 in 4 cases ending in death, data obtained by a lawmaker showed Monday.

The Korea Institute for Healthcare Accreditation reported 548 such incidents from 2022 through May 2026, according to data obtained by Rep. Han Zee-a of the main opposition People Power Party. The annual totals were 110 in 2022, 153 in 2023, 120 in 2024, 112 in 2025 and 53 in the first five months of this year.

Of the 548 incidents, 139, or 25.4 percent, resulted in death. Another 29 were classified as severe and 97 as moderate.

Patients aged 80 and older were involved in the largest number of incidents, at 107. There were 79 involving patients under 19, followed by 77 for patients in their 60s, 76 in their 70s and 68 in their 50s.

By classification, nursing hospitals recorded the most incidents, at 151. Tertiary general hospitals reported 133, general hospitals 127, psychiatric hospitals 110 and hospitals 27.

Nursing hospitals provide long-term inpatient care, including for older people and patients with chronic or terminal illnesses.

Patient rooms were the most common location, accounting for 362 incidents, or 66.1 percent. Bathrooms and rest areas accounted for 59 and 41 cases, respectively.

Han said the incidents point to gaps in identifying and managing patients at risk of suicide or self-harm.

The accreditation institute told her it could not determine whether patients had been identified as high-risk before the incidents because its patient-safety reporting form does not include that information. The institute is due to take on a new role investigating patient-safety incidents next year, Han said, but its request for additional staff has not been approved.

“We need to improve the reporting and management system so that we can prevent these incidents from happening again, rather than simply tallying them,” Han said, urging the government to approve the institute’s request for more staff.

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If you’re thinking about self-harm or suicide, dial the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 109, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Please request a translator for English-language services.