The government will ban more suicide-related searches on portal sites and seek a revision of the relevant laws in an extra National Assembly session in June to stem a wave of online suicide pacts, the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs and the National Police Agency said Monday.

That will make it more difficult to search suicide-related websites or blogs, no matter how many suicide-related search words -- such as suicide, how to commit suicide, "jasal" (Korean word for suicide), how to die, and joint suicide -- are typed in. The government will cooperate with large Internet portals including Naver, Daum, and SK Communications.

Authorities also plan to revise the laws on suicide prevention and electronic communications so that police can obtain the personal information of people who spread messages encouraging suicide or offer counseling services to those who want to kill themselves.

According to the NPA, 20 people had died in suicide pacts between April 8 and May 9, with six others in serious conditions as a result of suicide attempts. Most allegedly met on suicide websites.