Jeju’s Age-Standardized Suicide Mortality Rate at 30.3, Highest Nationwide for Second Consecutive Year

【Financial News Jeju = Reporter Jeong Yong-bok】 Although Jeju Province recorded the largest improvement in overall mortality nationwide, its suicide mortality rate adjusted for differences in age structure remained the highest in the country for the second consecutive year.
According to the “2025 Causes of Death Statistics” released by the Ministry of Data and Statistics on the 22nd, Jeju Province’s age-standardized mortality rate for intentional self-harm (suicide) was 30.3 per 100,000 people in the standard population, the highest among the country’s 17 metropolitan cities and provinces.
That was 7.1 higher than the national average of 23.2. In percentage terms, it was 30.6% higher.
South Chungcheong Province ranked second after Jeju at 28.0, followed by Daejeon Metropolitan City at 27.1, South Jeolla Province at 25.6, and North Chungcheong Province at 25.3. Sejong Special Self-Governing City, which recorded the lowest rate at 16.6, was 13.7 lower than Jeju.
Jeju Province also had the country’s highest age-standardized suicide mortality rate in 2024, at 32.4. The rate fell by 2.1, or 6.5%, in 2025, but the regional rankings remained unchanged.
The age-standardized mortality rate is an indicator used to compare regions after removing the effects of differences in their population age structures. It is calculated by applying the age structure of the national population in 2005 to each region, placing them under the same conditions.
Regions with a large proportion of older residents may have higher crude mortality rates, but age-standardized mortality rates reduce this effect. This means Jeju’s high suicide rate cannot be explained solely by population aging.
By contrast, Jeju Province’s overall mortality indicators improved significantly. The number of deaths in Jeju fell to 4,661 in 2025 from 4,902 the previous year, a decrease of 241. The crude mortality rate per 100,000 people also fell by 30.5, from 732.7 to 702.2.
Jeju’s overall age-standardized mortality rate, adjusted for age structure, fell by 27.7, from 317.7 to 290.0. The national average was 285.3.
In particular, Jeju’s 27.7-point decline in the overall age-standardized mortality rate was the largest among the 17 metropolitan cities and provinces. The decrease was greater than those recorded in South Jeolla Province, at 18.6, Sejong Special Self-Governing City, at 15.2, and Gwangju, at 13.1.
Thus, while the overall mortality level improved rapidly, suicide remained the weakest indicator in regional comparisons of major causes of death.
The figures for other major causes of death showed the opposite pattern. Jeju Province’s age-standardized mortality rate for Alzheimer’s disease was 2.7, the lowest nationwide. The national average was 7.3, while Daegu Metropolitan City recorded the highest rate at 14.6.
Jeju also had the country’s lowest diabetes mortality rate, at 5.2. The national average was 8.7, and Busan had the highest rate at 12.5.
Jeju’s age-standardized cancer mortality rate was 79.6, higher than the national average of 77.7. Its liver cancer rate was 11.2, exceeding the national average of 9.2. In contrast, its lung cancer rate was 15.6, below the national average of 16.0.
Jeju also showed distinctive characteristics in external causes of death other than suicide. Its age-standardized mortality rate for transport accidents was 7.8, roughly twice the national average of 3.9.
Suicide-related indicators improved nationwide from the previous year. In 2025, there were 14,144 suicide deaths nationwide, down by 728, or 4.9%, from the previous year. The crude mortality rate per 100,000 people also fell by 4.7%, from 29.1 to 27.8. The suicide mortality rate was 39.7 for men and 16.0 for women, making the rate for men 2.5 times higher.
By age group, only the suicide rate among teenagers rose from the previous year, increasing by 7.5%; rates fell in all other age groups. Nationwide, suicide was the leading cause of death among people in their teens through 40s, the second-leading cause among those in their 50s, and the fourth-leading cause among those in their 60s.
These statistics are final figures compiled from deaths that occurred in 2025 and were reported over the 16-month period from January 2025 through April this year, based on registered residences. Causes of death were classified according to the underlying factors that led to death, in line with World Health Organization (WHO) standards.※ If you are experiencing difficult-to-discuss concerns such as depression, or if you know a family member or acquaintance facing such difficulties, call Suicide Prevention Hotline 109 for 24-hour professional counseling.[email protected] Jeong Yong-bok Reporter