Protest suicide among Korean students and laborers: a study of suicide notes.

Suicide notes from two groups of protest suicides in South Korea during the period 1975-2003 were compared: suicide notes from students (n =16) and suicide notes from workers (n = 15). The students appeared to be acting upon abstract ideals, including the oppression of the masses by the government and the American forces in Korea, and they typically urged the reunification of Korea. The workers were acting upon more local concerns, such as the oppression of their union by the government and the companies and the policies of their specific companies.