Posted : 2021-04-28 09:17 Updated : 2021-04-28 11:56 This Jan. 23, 2018 photo shows a special phone installed on the Mapo Bridge over Seoul's Han River, which connects a person considering suicide by jumping off the bridge directly to a counselor, as part of efforts to prevent suicide. Korea Times photo by Seo Jae-hoon By Bahk Eun-ji Social distancing, strict regulations on gatherings, and remote meetings have become the new normal since the COVID-19 outbreak, and the protracted pandemic has been taking a toll on people's mental health. Studies have indicated that the number of people thinking about suicide could increase, given that the pandemic has been continuing for over a year and there is no end in sight.