Seoul Metropolitan Government and Four Major Religious Groups Hold Open Forum to Unite in Respect for Life

The Seoul Suicide Prevention Center announced that it held the ‘2026 Seoul Salsa Project Open Forum’ on October 13 at 2 PM at the Zoe Hall on the 2nd floor of the Korea Christian Building. A total of 104 people, including Seoul citizens, mental health and suicide prevention-related organizations, and religious leaders, attended the event to share the meaning of respecting life beyond religion.

This forum was hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and co-organized by the Seoul Suicide Prevention Center and the Life Hope Christian Suicide Prevention Center, proceeding under the slogan ‘Crisis of the Mind, Religion is With You’ with the theme ‘Mental Health of Religious People.’ In Part 1, following the opening and welcoming remarks, there was a video congratulatory message from Oh Se-hun, Mayor of Seoul, followed by a performance by CCM singer Jo Chan-mi. Kim Hyun, team leader of the policy team at the Seoul Suicide Prevention Center, introduced the achievements of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's suicide prevention projects and the collaborative experience of the ‘Salsa Project (Live! Love! Project).’ Professor Lee Young-moon, a psychiatrist, highlighted the impact of religion and spirituality on the meaning of life and mental health during the keynote lecture.

In Part 2, following a performance by the Catholic hymn group Catholic Ensemble Mulceo, a recovery story talk concert featuring religious leaders from the four major religious groups was held. As stories of losing family and acquaintances to suicide and cases of overcoming crises through religious communities were shared, the role of community care was highlighted once again. It was also confirmed that a structure is needed where the religious community and public institutions jointly monitor mental health crises. The Seoul Metropolitan Government began preparing for cooperation in 2014 and has been fully promoting the Salsa Project (Live! Love! Project) with the four major religious groups since 2015, expanding its scope to include counseling, bereaved family care, religious leader training, identification and connection of high-risk groups, and community campaigns. This forum appears to have been a venue to re-examine the flow of that cooperation.

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