New data found that Korea had the highest ultrafine dust (PM2.5) concentration and suicide rate per 100,000 persons among OECD member countries as of 2020.

Today (28th), the National Statistical Office released "Korea's Safety Report 2022" to commemorate World Safety Day, which is recognized by the International Labor Organization (ILO) under the United Nations.

The study depicts the status of society's safety situation by gathering statistical data from many domains, such as disasters, crimes, and industrial safety.

"Measuring 60 indicators revealed that 33 indices are improving overall, but 27 indicators require social attention," according to the National Statistical Office.

Last year, there were 2,223 industrial accident deaths in Korea, an increase of 143 (6.9%) from the previous year.

Accidents killed 874 people, and diseases killed 1,349 people.

Since 2019, the number of industrial accident fatalities has been increasing.

Small workplaces with less than five employees accounted for one in every four industrial deaths.

The suicide rate in Korea is 24.1 per 100,000 people.

Suicide rates per 100,000 people who did not standardize their age fell somewhat from 26.9 in 2019 to 25.7 in 2020 before rising to 26.0 in 2021.

Men (35.9 as of 2021) had a suicide rate more than double that of women (16.2).

Suicide rates rise with age, although rates in their twenties and thirties have recently surged.

In 2021, social isolation, defined as the proportion of people with nobody to turn to for aid in times of difficulty, reached 34.1%.

The rate was estimated by one in every three.

In 2021, the crime rate was 1,774 per 100,000 inhabitants, a 12% decrease from the previous year; however, sexual violence offenses climbed.

The child abuse damage experience rate (based on damage complaints) was also 502.2 per 100,000 persons in 2021, up 100.6 from the previous year.

The OECD approach assessed Korea's ultrafine dust concentration in 2020 to be 25.9((microgram, 1/1 millionth gram) in 2020, the highest among member countries.

However, the actual measurement of ultrafine dust concentration in Korea has declined since 2020.

In 2021, 67 days of ozone warnings were issued, up 21 days from the previous year.

Daily household waste emissions per person are also increasing, reaching 1.09kg in 2019, 1.16kg in 2020, and 1.18kg in 2021.

In 2021, 5,087 persons died or disappeared as a result of social disasters, about five times the previous year's (1,08), with COVID-19 deaths accounting for the majority (5,54).

In 2021, there were 570,000 COVID-19 patients, more than nine times the previous year, and 5,160 food poisoning patients, roughly twice the last year.

In 2021, the number of people killed in transportation accidents was 3,624, a decrease of 323 from the previous year.

Pedestrians, motorbikes, passenger cars, lorries, and bicycles were among those killed.

In 2021, the proportion of households living in housing types that do not meet the minimum housing standard was 4.5%, a 0.1% decrease from the previous year.

Meanwhile, manyother indicators have also improved from the previous year, including the number of residents per person of police and fire personnel, the total number of hospital beds, industrial accident insurance, and the number of subscribers to storm and flood damage.

Jisu Park (Kellyn)
Year 10
North London Collegiate School, Jeju