Beliefs and Attitudes toward Physician-assisted Suicide among Korean Adults

Abstract

Population aging is taking place very rapidly in South Korea; the proportion of the elderly population (aged 65 years or older) has already exceeded 14% of the total population, and South Korea has become an aged society. According to Statistics Korea data in 2021, the proportion will exceed 20% in 2025, making South Korea a super-aged society [1]. Rapid population aging means an increase in people who need endof-life care. The number of yearly deaths is steadily increasing, and it is estimated that more than 400,000 people will die in 2030 [2]. End-of-life care is recognized as one of the major social issues that our society faces, and several legal and institutional changes related to decisions such as withdrawal of