More than 358-thousand deaths occurred in South Korea last year, and deaths by suicide reached a 13-year high.

According to data Statistics Korea released Thursday, 358-thousand-569 people died in 2024, up six-thousand-58, or one-point-seven percent, from a year earlier.

Cancer was the leading cause of death, accounting for 24-point-eight percent, followed by heart disease and pneumonia.

The three causes, together, accounted for 42-point-six percent of all deaths, up zero-point-seven percentage point from the previous year.

Suicide ranked fifth for the second straight year, accounting for 14-thousand-872 deaths, up six-point-four percent on-year.

Statistics Korea recorded 29-point-one deaths by suicide for every 100 thousand people, the largest figure since 31-point-seven deaths were reported in 2011.

Suicide outnumbered cancer as the leading cause of death among people in their 40s, which the state agency attributed to the impact of economic, psychological and physical strain.