Often found at theaters and museums, Kwon Mee-yoo has covered a wide range of cultural fields from K-pop and dramas to theater and fine art for over a decade. Now as K-Culture Desk editor, she tries to connect Korean culture with global readers through fresh perspectives.
HS Seoul bolsters medical service for foreigners
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Staff reporter
The Seoul Metropolitan Government is reinforcing medical support for foreigners as part of steps to accommodate the needs of the increasing number of international residents.
The city government said Monday that three more medical centers will provide a 24-hour interpretation service through the Seoul Emergency Medical Information Center at 1339.
As of 2009, a total of 256,000 international residents are living in Seoul. More than half or 57 percent of them are migrant workers, 12 percent are married to Koreans and 11 percent are studying in the capital.
The three new hospitals with foreign language services are Chung-Ang University Hospital in Dongjak, Chung-Ang University Yongsan Hospital in Yongsan, both of which started the service in late 2009, and KonKuk University Medical Center in Gwangjin-gu which added the service in March.
In addition to general hospitals, there are a total of 669 international clinics in Seoul that provide medical services in 14 languages including English, Japanese, Chinese, Mongolian and Spanish. More than 250 pharmacies in the city also offer assistance in seven languages.
The full list of hospitals and clinics is available at www.1339se.or.kr.
The Emergency Medical Information Center can be reached by dialing 1339 as well. Its gives information on international clinics and provides an interpretation service at night between patients and clinics. It can also explain how to perform first aid.
The city also provides medical support for those from low-income brackets such as migrant workers. "We assisted in medical expenses for some 1,700 international residents last year including a Mongolian immigrant worker who suffered from heart disease," a city official said. "We offer free medical care for infectious cases such as tuberculosis as well."
District offices also offer foreign language services at local public health centers. Yeongdeungpo District, one of the districts with the highest concentration of immigrant workers in Seoul, has a free clinic on Saturdays and provides customized health care services. Geumcheon Ward Health Center opens at night and weekends for migrant workers.