Songpa-gu expands youth mental health counseling program

Seoul's Songpa-gu district said it is expanding its youth in-depth counseling support program to help young residents struggling with emotional difficulties recover their mental health.

Linked to an existing mental health counseling voucher program, the expansion adds four in-depth sessions on top of the eight already provided, allowing participants to receive up to 12 sessions in total.

The program is open to young people ages 9 to 19 — born between 2007 and 2016 — who have been identified as high-risk for emotional conditions such as depression or anxiety and deemed to need additional counseling.

To apply, residents must first undergo a professional preliminary assessment at the Songpa-gu Mental Health and Welfare Center to receive a referral, then either visit their local community service center or apply online through the welfare portal "Bokjiro." Vouchers are issued after a review.

The program runs through Dec. 1, though it may end early if the budget is exhausted.

The district said it hopes the expanded support will help identify psychological problems in at-risk youth early and, through sustained counseling, support their healthy development and social adjustment.

"More and more children are reporting psychological difficulties such as depression and anxiety," Songpa-gu District Mayor Seo Gang-seok said. "Early detection and continuous counseling are paramount when it comes to mental health issues. We will work on all fronts to help children and adolescents grow up healthy, and build a Songpa where everyone is healthy and happy."

Meanwhile, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, the number of elementary, middle and high school students in Seoul who died by suicide in 2025 rose 27.5 percent from the previous year — 1.8 times the 2021 figure. The number of students who attempted suicide increased 8.2 percent year on year and was 3.9 times the 2021 level.

If you're thinking about self-harm or suicide, contact the Ministry of Health and Welfare's helpline 1393, available 24/7. Please request a translator for English-language services.