SEOUL, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's suicide rate edged down in 2022 although it remained at the highest level compared with other members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), statistical office data showed Thursday.

The number of suicides for every 100,000 South Koreans stood at 25.2 in 2022, down from 26.0 tallied in the prior year, according to Statistics Korea.

The suicide rate had been on the increase from 13.7 in 2000 to 24.8 in 2005. After peaking at 31.7 in 2011, the rate turned downward, to a bottom of 24.3 in 2017.

The still high suicide rate was driven by the elderly population, who suffered both financial and emotional difficulties amid the insufficient social security program for the elderly and the rising single elderly households that feel lonelier without a family to live with.

The suicide rate among those in their 70s reached 37.8 in 2022, with the rate for those in their 80s or older hitting 60.6.

The rates for those in their 40s, 50s and 60s all stayed below 30 in the cited year.

The suicide rate for South Korean men came to 35.3 in 2022, more than double 15.1 for women.

South Korea topped the suicide rate list among the OECD members with 24.1 suicides per 100,000 people in 2020.

It was far higher than the second-ranked Lithuania with a rate of 18.5. Enditem

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