新奇事件簿 艺人自杀增加民众自杀率（在线收听）

Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare has told reporters that 15,000 people a year kill themselves in South Korea. This means the country has the highest suicide rate of any developed nation in the world. Another 100,000 people end up in hospital after trying to commit suicide. Every day, about 43 Koreans take their own life. The Ministry said that the biggest reason is stress at school or work. Other reasons include loneliness, and the sadness when another family member commits suicide. A church official said the high rate is a danger to Korean society because the country's birth rate is so low. He said: "If the high suicide trend continues, the whole society could find itself on the edge of a cliff."

韩国保健福利部门对记者称，韩国每年的自杀人数为1.5万人。在所有发达国家中，韩国的自杀率居首。另有10万人自杀未遂，接受了医院的治疗。韩国每天的自杀人数大约为43人。该部门称引起自杀的最主要原因是上学和工作压力。其它原因包括孤独，家人因自杀而感到的悲伤情绪。一名教堂官员称，由于韩国出生率较低，所以高自杀率对韩国社会构成了威胁。他称：“如果高自杀率继续横行，那么整个社会就将处在悬崖的边缘。”

This growing problem is made worse because of copycat behaviour when a celebrity commits suicide in Korea. Research shows that the suicide rates jumps around 30 per cent in the two months after a celebrity suicide. News reports of a star's suicide can result in 600 Koreans ending their own life. Many people say television is to blame because it spends too much time reporting on news of suicides and this gives people the idea they too can end their life. The Korea Times newspaper said the government should do more to help people. It said: "To lower the suicide rate, Korea should become a more compassionate and caring society even at the expense of a slower-growing economy."

明星的自杀会让这种情况变得更加严重。研究表明就在名人自杀后的两个月内，韩国的自杀率上升了大约30%。明星自杀的报道将夺走600名韩国民众的生命。许多人将原因归罪于电视，称电视对明星自杀事件进行了长时间的报道，并为民众提供了自杀的想法。韩国时报称政府应该采取更多措施帮助人们。该报称：“就算是以降低经济增长率为代价，为了降低自杀率，韩国也应该变成一个充满同情与关爱的社会。”