Geumcheon-gu Wins Top Awards for Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Promotion

Geumcheon-gu has received back-to-back commendations from the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Ministry of Health and Welfare in recognition of outstanding achievements in suicide prevention and community mental health promotion.

At the 2026 Mental Health Day ceremony held Thursday, the Geumcheon-gu Public Health Center received a commendation from the Minister of Health and Welfare for its high marks in suicide prevention — one of the most pressing mental health challenges facing the community.

Earlier, at the 2026 Seoul Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Day event held Oct. 1, the district was named the top-performing institution in suicide prevention for 2026 and received a commendation from the Seoul Metropolitan Government mayor.

Geumcheon-gu has long worked to improve mental health in the community, and was recognized particularly for identifying suicide as a key local issue and pursuing a wide range of policies to address it.

In practice, the district formed a suicide prevention task force in February and took decisive action. The deputy district mayor assumed the role of suicide prevention officer, personally chairing the TF and leading cross-departmental cooperation. As a result, individual departments now share cases encountered in the field, coordinate with one another to operate a suicide prevention system, and pool expertise across health, welfare and safety.

The district also runs life-respecting safe villages in four neighborhoods — Gasan-dong, Doksan 1-dong, Siheung 2-dong and Siheung 4-dong. The program is a community-centered suicide prevention initiative in which residents and local organizations work together to detect early warning signs and connect at-risk neighbors with professional services.

Within these villages, the district has placed mental health support hubs close to where residents live through everyday suicide prevention programs — a "mind laundromat" for single-person households and a "life-care convenience store" that makes use of frequently visited convenience stores. These outposts are designed to spot crisis signs early and connect people to the help they need.

The district said it has pursued wide-ranging outreach efforts and taken an active approach to suicide prevention, and that the number of suicide deaths this year has shown a meaningful downward trend. It plans to continue developing a range of policies for residents struggling with their mental health.

"This award is the result of employees who worked across departmental boundaries and residents and community organization staff who gave their all in the field," Geumcheon-gu District Mayor Choi Ki-chan said. "We will continue to focus our administrative resources on making Geumcheon a place where not a single life is lost."

If you're thinking about self-harm or suicide, dial the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 109, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Please request a translator for English-language services.