The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Central Mental Health Welfare Support Group held the ‘2025 Mental Health Policy Forum’ on December 12 at the National Mental Health Center. The forum was organized to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Central Support Group and aimed to review South Korea’s mental health policies and strengthen the policy foundation for better mental health.
The keynote speech was chaired by Director Ki Sun-wan, and Professor Lee Young-moon presented on ‘The History and Future Path of Mental Health.’ In the following sessions, Professor Kang Sang-kyung, Director Ki Sun-wan, Professor Lee Sang-kyu, and Deputy Director Baek Jong-woo presented on strengthening the mental health system, improving the human rights-based mental health care system, expanding infrastructure for addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery, and addressing suicide risk.
In the designated discussion, Director Ki Sun-wan chaired, and representatives Lee Jung-ha, Kim Soon-deuk, Policy Chairman Lee Jae-sung, Chairman Bae Jeom-tae, and Director Kim Il-yeol participated. The comprehensive discussion involved experts, stakeholders, and families discussing the current status and challenges of South Korea’s policies and freely exchanging suggestions for government policies.
Lee Sang-won, Director of Mental Health Policy at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, emphasized that mental health is a key task for society and promised to listen to even the smallest voices from the field. Director Ki Sun-wan of the Central Mental Health Welfare Support Group stated that the group has been advising on sustainable and inclusive mental health policies for the past 20 years and will continue to act as a bridge between the public and private sectors.