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Suicide for the Sake of Convenience

Writer's picture: DSRM-1DSRM-1

Updated: Jan 27


It should be every parent’s right to die before their children, yet too often, they are denied this natural order. In cases of homicide, parents eventually come to terms with the tragedy by understanding the death was caused by another’s hand—someone who will hopefully face justice through the criminal system. However, when investigators conclude suicide, parents face an unparalleled struggle to cope with their loss.


This statue of a grandfatherly man is seen pinching the cheek of a younger man on Mapo Bridge in western Seoul. The city government erected the statue in an attempt to impart hope to anyone who goes onto the bridge in order to commit suicide.
This statue of a grandfatherly man is seen pinching the cheek of a younger man on Mapo Bridge in western Seoul. The city government erected the statue in an attempt to impart hope to anyone who goes onto the bridge in order to commit suicide.

They often blame themselves, plagued by a single, unanswerable question: “Why didn’t they come to me?” This torment can haunt parents for the rest of their lives, often shortening their own through the sheer weight of grief.


A 2019 WHO Global Suicide report stated that 703,000 people worldwide took their own lives, a figure that surpasses deaths attributed to HIV/AIDS, malaria, homicide, or war. In South Korea, 2019 saw a suicide rate of 26.9 deaths per 100,000 people—amounting to 38 per day—making it the fifth leading cause of death in the country. This was a 0.9% increase from 2018. In comparison, the UK reported a rate of 10.8 per 100,000, while the US saw 13.93 per 100,000.


Shockingly, suicide is the leading cause of death among Korean teenagers, with many choosing to jump from buildings. Over the years, numerous reports of teen suicides have surfaced, often quickly attributed to the relentless stress of the education system and pressure from pushy parents for higher grades. But is this the full story? This explanation feels too simple—too convenient. Our brains are wired to accept simplicity, so this narrative has been widely embraced, but has it ever been genuinely verified?

A teenager found dead at the foot of a building: school stress, suicide, case closed. But is it truly that straightforward?


The Daegu Incident


According to the World Population Review, South Korea leads the world in suicides in 2025. Among the grim statistics, two cases from July 2023 in the city of Daegu stand out. Two young women, aged 18 and 19, who had recently connected on social media, met up and allegedly decided to end their lives together. They were found dead at a construction site at the base of a building.


The police quickly announced there were no suspicious circumstances, concluding it was a double suicide. But the evidence raises questions. One of the victims was found with bruises across her body, and her clothing was partially removed. Investigators suggested that the clothes came off during the fall but failed to explain how they arrived at this conclusion.


For such a conclusion to hold, investigators would need to conduct experiments to simulate the fall. This would involve using a dummy of similar height and weight, dressed identically, and dropping it from the alleged jump site multiple times under the same conditions. Was this done? Or was the conclusion based on assumption?


Furthermore, why did only one of the victims show bruising? Could this indicate a struggle? Was it truly a double suicide, or could it have been a murder-suicide? Could a third or fourth party have been involved? The following questions remain unanswered:


  • Was the building they allegedly jumped from part of the construction site?

  • Was the jump site examined for shoe prints or evidence of movement?

  • Were the surfaces checked for blood traces or signs of a struggle?

  • Did the investigators fingerprint the roof railing or windows?


Without ruling out these possibilities, can we truly accept suicide as the cause?


Broader Patterns

Between 2016 and 2019, studies I conducted in this region revealed a concerning rise in missing women aged 18 to 30. In neighboring Gyeongsan, it was noted that all the women disappeared on a Tuesday. One of these women was last seen in Daegu. The two victims in this case were discovered at 5 a.m. on a Thursday. Has any connection been ruled out?


Suicide or Convenience?


Suicide, like homicide, must be proven. In 2019, Korea reported 847 homicides—an average of just over 70 per month—while Britain, with a far higher rate of violent crime, reported 749 homicides. Could it be that Korea’s homicide figures are underreported, with some cases misclassified as suicides? A high suicide rate is less politically damaging than a high homicide rate, preserving the image of Korea as a “safe country.”


Who knows the truth? But one thing is clear: parents deserve closure. Investigators who cannot or will not prove homicide should not simply conclude suicide for the sake of convenience.


Anthony Hegarty, MSc

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