Gangwon Clinic head stresses need for cooperation with Western, medicine
By Cho Jae-hyon
Oriental medicine has huge growth potential both here and abroad, a traditional Korean medicine doctor said.
He based his optimism on the belief that Oriental and traditional Korean medicine are all about data ― from efficacies of various herbs to acupuncture skills accumulated and inherited from ancient times.
"In this age of data, I believe traditional Korean medicine will make a leap forward as it has cumulated an enormous amount of data," said Dr. Hong Sung-min who runs Gangwon Clinic in Hannam-dong, Seoul.
Hong said traditional Chinese and Korean medicine has been practiced and recognized broadly in Western countries.
"It will continue to attract greater attention from foreign countries as it can offer alternative cures," he said.
Hong said Western medicine has been adopting Oriental medicine and collaboration between the two disciplines has broadened.
"Western and Oriental medicine fields need to strengthen cooperation to develop medical services further," Hong said. "We can complement each other."
A Korean-American born in the United States, Hong received his childhood education at Seoul Foreign School where he became completely bilingual in Korean and English.
He then traveled back to the U.S. to Phillips Academy Andover where he received a well-rounded liberal arts education. He majored in chemical engineering with a minor in bioengineering at Cornell University's College of Engineering.
Upon graduation, he was preparing for graduate school when he was exposed to Oriental medicine while studying pharmacology.
He became so interested in the scientific foundations of his family that he came to Korea and studied at Daejeon University School of Traditional Medicine.
Gangwon Clinic is a family-owned traditional Korean medical clinic that has been in operation for four generations.
Hong said his grandfather has been the main doctor for Chinese ambassadors in Seoul over the last two decades.
"My grandfather has received appreciation plaques from six Chinese ambassadors for his medical services," Hong said.
Since its inception, the clinic has implemented traditional therapies of herbal medicine and acupuncture to treat patients suffering from metabolic diseases such as chronic fatigue syndrome, depression and other complications of the endocrine and digestive systems.
"We also run a fertility program helping couples prepare for pregnancy through metabolic assessment, herbal therapies and nutritional consultations," Hong said.
He recently added detoxification and diet modules to the existing energy programs to provide further support for the changing needs of patients with metabolic problems.
"When there is enough energy and nutrients to power the physiological system, probability of disease and illness can drop. But when the balance of energy and nutrients breaks, troubles start to happen," he said. "Even obesity is the result of metabolic weakening."
By Cho Jae-hyon
 |
| Dr. Hong Sung-min of Gangwon Clinic |
He based his optimism on the belief that Oriental and traditional Korean medicine are all about data ― from efficacies of various herbs to acupuncture skills accumulated and inherited from ancient times.
"In this age of data, I believe traditional Korean medicine will make a leap forward as it has cumulated an enormous amount of data," said Dr. Hong Sung-min who runs Gangwon Clinic in Hannam-dong, Seoul.
Hong said traditional Chinese and Korean medicine has been practiced and recognized broadly in Western countries.
"It will continue to attract greater attention from foreign countries as it can offer alternative cures," he said.
Hong said Western medicine has been adopting Oriental medicine and collaboration between the two disciplines has broadened.
"Western and Oriental medicine fields need to strengthen cooperation to develop medical services further," Hong said. "We can complement each other."
A Korean-American born in the United States, Hong received his childhood education at Seoul Foreign School where he became completely bilingual in Korean and English.
He then traveled back to the U.S. to Phillips Academy Andover where he received a well-rounded liberal arts education. He majored in chemical engineering with a minor in bioengineering at Cornell University's College of Engineering.
Upon graduation, he was preparing for graduate school when he was exposed to Oriental medicine while studying pharmacology.
He became so interested in the scientific foundations of his family that he came to Korea and studied at Daejeon University School of Traditional Medicine.
Gangwon Clinic is a family-owned traditional Korean medical clinic that has been in operation for four generations.
Hong said his grandfather has been the main doctor for Chinese ambassadors in Seoul over the last two decades.
"My grandfather has received appreciation plaques from six Chinese ambassadors for his medical services," Hong said.
Since its inception, the clinic has implemented traditional therapies of herbal medicine and acupuncture to treat patients suffering from metabolic diseases such as chronic fatigue syndrome, depression and other complications of the endocrine and digestive systems.
"We also run a fertility program helping couples prepare for pregnancy through metabolic assessment, herbal therapies and nutritional consultations," Hong said.
He recently added detoxification and diet modules to the existing energy programs to provide further support for the changing needs of patients with metabolic problems.
"When there is enough energy and nutrients to power the physiological system, probability of disease and illness can drop. But when the balance of energy and nutrients breaks, troubles start to happen," he said. "Even obesity is the result of metabolic weakening."
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