Seoul Politician Blames Rising Male Suicides on Increasingly ‘Female-Dominated’ Society

South Korea has a stark suicide problem. It also has an increasingly sharp divide over gender roles in the country. A politician in the capital has drawn criticism for linking the two issues.

Local media reported Sunday on a June 28 press release by Seoul City Council Member Kim Ki-duck that included data on suicide attempts made at 21 bridges crossing the Han River from 2018-2023. Of 4,069 attempts, 2,487 were by men, 1,079 by women, and 503 by those of unknown gender.