South Korean religious leaders seek to end suicides

(May 18, 2012) Religious leaders in South Korea came together on Thursday to urge society to help end a wave of suicides linked to mass layoffs at automaker Ssangyong Motors. Representatives of the country’s major religions, including Bishop Matthias Ri Iong-hoon, president of the Korean bishops’ Committee for Justice and Peace, said at a joint press conference in Seoul that they would do all they could to halt the tragedies. On March 30, 36-year old Lee Yun-hyung became the 22^nd person associated with Ssangyong Motors to take his own life following 2,646 layoffs at the car manufacturer’s Pyeongtaek factory in 2009. “Predictable death has continued but society has not taken it seriously,” the leaders said in a statement. The religious leaders urged people “to work together to solve this issue” and to take responsibility for what was happening. During a press conference, Bishop Ri stressed that Ssangyong and the government must reinstate the workers. The religious leaders are scheduled to launch a campaign in June, which will see them visit the presidential office, politicians, labour groups and media, as well as raise money and hold joint prayers, in a bid to find a resolution. Laid-off Ssangyong workers and their families have complained of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and other psychological illnesses following a 77-day strike at the Pyeongtaek plant that ended in August 2009 with police raiding the facility from helicopters.