A chronic gambler has committed suicide at Kangwon Island, the only South Korean casino that’s open to locals as well as foreigners. The man, only identified by police as Seo, hanged himself with an electrical cord in his hotel room on the casino compound. He left a note blaming the casino for his suicide, as he had visited the casino several timesa week over the past year and had apparently lost on over one hundred occasions.
Map of High 1 ~ Gangwon-do Province-Kangwon Land (Photo credit: linkway88)
The casino has been severely criticised for this as the latest example of the damage it is doing to the local community. Critics say the casino has only amplified the culture of problem gambling that is, sadly, a strong aspect of South Korean life. Second only to alcoholism, gambling addiction is a huge issue around Kangwon Island, which is aggravated by the fact that the casino welcomes citizens as opposed to others which are foreigners-only. Critics say the casino encourages dysfunctional amounts of gambling with no regard for its patrons’ mental health.
