Korea’s suicide, stomach cancer, traffic death rates remain top among OECD

Korea’s suicide, stomach cancer, traffic death rates remain top among OECD. September. 17, 2014 03:50. .

Korea’s death rates from suicide, stomach cancer and traffic accident remain top among the OECD member countries.

According to the recent report on "Death Rate per Cause of Death Among OECD Nations" by Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, Korea’s suicide death rate went up from 22.7 per 100,000 population (ranked 8th) in 2002 to 29.1 (4th) in 2012. Death rate of the entire Korean cancer patients is low (29th among OECD nations in 2012), but Korea’s stomach cancer death rate ranked the 3rd (23.4 per 100,000 population) following Chile and Japan.

Korea took the third place for traffic-related death rate among OECD members. Mexico was the top with 17.4 out of 100,000 population, followed by Chile (14) and Korea (13.9).

Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs researcher Jang Yeong-sik said, “Life expectancy has been extended thanks to improvement in standard of living and expansion of medical services. However, Korea’s suicide rate is on the rise. It is necessary to take more active measures to prevent suicide.