The heartbreaking grief of parents in the SEWOL ferry disaster.

The pain of any parent who loses a child is unimaginable. But that pain has been amplified in South Korea, due to the uncertainty surrounding the fate of the hundreds missing in the SEWOL ferry disaster, many of whom were high school students on vacation, as well as the Korean culture's approach to dealing with such immense grief.

The evidence is clear: one should look no further than the hospitals, where many parents are receiving intravenous fluids to maintain their health, as they have lost their appetite due to overwhelming grief.

Praying for the safety of the passengers missing in the SEWOL ferry sinking. (Source: Kyodo/VNA)

Some said they didn't want to live. "If I didn't have my child, I'd rather jump into the sea," one woman said. "When I think about my child still being at sea, how can I, as a mother, eat or drink? I hate myself for this."

In South Korea, suicide is a real threat. The country has the highest suicide rate among the 34 OECD countries. Some point to the highly competitive society and a culture that cannot accept failure as contributing factors.

It is a culture where shame carries an enormous burden and society accepts suicidal behavior.

South Korean officials have dispatched psychologists to help the families of the victims, but they are not busy at all these days.

"No one comes to us for psychological counseling. Families don't seem to care about their safety or well-being," said Han Kee Rae, a volunteer psychologist.

The counselors hope more people will seek their help, especially given South Korea's high suicide rate.

There were concerns that some would follow in the footsteps of Kang Min Kyu, the vice principal of Danwon High School in Seoul's Ansan area. The 52-year-old man was among the first to be rescued from the sunken ferry. But just two days later, he hanged himself.

Police say he committed suicide by tying his belt to a tree near the gymnasium in Jindo, where many parents of students were anxiously awaiting news.

In his suicide note, Kang stated that the school trip was his idea and that the students' deaths were his fault. Sadly, suicide by a high-ranking official like him is not uncommon in South Korea.

In 2009, former President Roh Moo Hyun also committed suicide following a financial scandal. Hyundai Group chairman Chung Mong Hun also jumped to his death from a building in 2003 while under investigation for corruption.

No one knows if more people will commit suicide in the future, but one thing is clear and certain: families are still grieving and despairing while waiting for news of their children. This is clearly shown by the reaction of one mother who, after hearing the usual brief announcements from the authorities, shouted: "How are we going to live now?"

According to VNA