This study examines differences in suicide ideation & psychological variables by gender, compared the contribution of demographic-behavioural variables & psychosocial variables in explaining the variance in suicide ideation, & identified the most important predictors of suicide ideation by gender in a sample of 501 Korean adolescents. Suicide ideation differed by gender as did depression & family communication. Significant predictors of suicide ideation among males were life satisfaction, depression & family communication, explaining 28 percent of the variance in suicide ideation. Among females, significant predictors were depression, smoking, & life satisfaction, explaining 38 percent of the variance in suicide ideation. Effective prevention programs for adolescents should consider gender differences. (30 refs.) JA