Korea: The Suicidal-Hermit Kingdom

Much has been made of the recent mass-killing at Virginia Tech. It is indeed one of the most heinous crimes committed in US history and leaves many unanswered questions. And though one could see this as a single, monstrous act by a lone gunman, one should also take in to account cultural factors that are relevant to any case. In this case, the cultural factor is the fact that Korea has the highest suicide rate of any developing nation. This killing is only the latest in a rash of suicides that have plagued the Korean community, both at home and abroad.

Korea Burning

Hyang Sun Lee was recently charged with the attempted murder of her three children and her husband, all the while trying to kill herself. Her husband awoke to the sound of his wife trying to set their children on fire.

Korean Idol

Actress Jeong Da-Bin and pop singer Yuni both committed suicide by hanging in January. Both were successful in their careers and the deaths have prompted Korean officials to examine preventive measures.

These three examples only underscore the rapid rise of suicides in the country which is going through rapid economic change. Suicide is the biggest cause of death of men in their twenties in Korea.

Keeping up with the Kims (and the Lees and the Parks)

There is tremdendous pressure in Asian societies to succeed and to possess material signs of wealth. Koreans are no exception. They come to America for opportunity. Yet America is complex and there are no guarantees of success. One must be able to assimilate to the vast differences and understand the language, especially if they want to succeed. Simply working hard is not enough. Failure is a distinct possiblity especially for the small business owner. Koreans must ask themselves what they will do, if they fail. They must also ask themselves what they will do if they succeed.

Larger Issue

Koreans are a friendly race of people. However, Korea is not without its fair share of trajedy. It has only recently risen out of the economic ashes of the Korean War and the Japanese occupation. It continues to face immense pressure from the North as the first target of nuclear assault, especially as an ally of the United States. It is a country which has historical hid itself and isolated itself from making allies, until recently. This has made it a particularly vulnerable, being a small penninsula open to attack from all sides.

Koreans have a tendency to sweep 'shameful' issues like these under the rug, never to deal with them again (I know this from personal experiece). It is a rather dangerous method of dealing with things, such as suicide, as they only get worse, if unresolved. On the issue of suicide, the Hermit Kingdom finds itself isolated, against all odds, where the only resolution is to self destruct.

Epilogue

It seems that there are many solutions to address, the least of which is gun control (there are many ways to kill and to kill oneself). There are deeper issues. Korea and Koreans must look at themselves first and ask themselves if they are contributing to society merely by making as much money as possible. Koreans must ask themselves if, in their rush to succeed in America, are they allowing themselves and their children to assimilate. Koreans must ask themselves if the notion of shame is so great that they cannot face up to one of the greatest modern epidemics- suicide. Until issues like this are addressed, all cards are off the table.