[Hybrid Lecture]

Locked Up: Korea’s Struggle with Institutionalized Mental Health Care

SPEAKER: Jack Greenberg

DATE: Tuesday. November 22, 2022. 7:30PM (KST)
ADMISSION (Online & In-person): Free for Members & Student (Student ID required); W10,000 for Non-members

• If you would like to attend online Zoom, please RSVP by Monday (November 21). We will email you the link on Tuesday.
• To attend in-person, RSVP is not required

SUMMARY:

Mental health is a taboo in Korea. Seeking help can result in severe social ostracism, yet three out of 10 Korean adults experience mental health conditions, and the country’s suicide rate exceeds all other developed nations. The pandemic has also exacerbated an already substantial treatment gap. Radical transformation has been observed in approaches to psychiatric care over the past century, however the shift from institutionalization to community-based care remains a struggle for Korea. People with mental health conditions have been stigmatized, criminalized, and often received inadequate care. This lecture will begin with an overview of why mental health treatments and attitudes have evolved since the Great Han Empire. It will then explain how patients’ human rights have been negatively affected by various health and social welfare policies through to the current system. Specific attention will be given to the case of the Busan Brothers Home.

BIO:

Jack Greenberg is a recipient of the Global Korea Scholarship, pursuing a master’s degree in International Peace and Security Studies at Korea University GSIS. He earned an Honours degree in International Development Studies from McGill University in Montréal, Quebec. Before moving to Korea, Jack worked as a consultant and Chief of Staff at Deloitte Canada in its Human Capital practice, and prior to that, for a Canadian Member of Parliament. He is interested in the history of social issues in South Korean society, including healthcare and urban housing. Follow him on Twitter at @jackwgreenberg