my timesThe Korea Times
South KoreaHealth

Health

Korea Times
About Us
Introduction
History
Contact Us
Products & Services
Subscribe
E-paper
RSS Service
Content Sales
Site Map
Policy
Code of Ethics
Ombudsman
Privacy Policy
Youth Protection Policy
Terms of Service
Copyright Policy
Family Site
Hankookilbo
Dongwha Group
FacebookXYoutubeInstagram
CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.

Korea’s soup culture carries hidden health risks

Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. From hearty stews to comforting instant noodles, broth-based meals are a cornerstone of Korean dining culture. But health experts are warning that this beloved habit — especially when followed by mixing rice into the leftover broth — may be putting many Koreans at risk of serious health problems, including stomach cancer, high blood pressure and blood sugar spikes. Salt-heavy broths linked to higher stomach cancer risk Korea and Japan — two countries where soup is a dietary staple — both record relatively high rates of stomach cancer, and excessive sodium in broth is a major reason why. The salt damages the stomach lining and can also contribute to hypertension. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging found that people who consumed instant noodles broth more than three times a week faced significantly higher mortality risks from stomach cancer and related diseases. The research, conducted by Yamagata University in Japan on 6,725 adults aged 40 and older, revealed that participants who consumed more than half of

Sep 27, 2025By Kormedi.com
Korea’s soup culture carries hidden health risks

Is it safe to sit on a public toilet seat? Experts say hygiene fears may be overblown — but precautions still matter

Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. For 66-year-old Choi, who lives in Seoul’s Gangnam District, using a public restroom is almost unthinkable. “I’ve avoided them since childhood because I think they’re filthy,” she said. Even when she does use public restrooms, she refuses to sit down — instead hovering awkwardly above the toilet. “I have friends who lay toilet paper on the seat first because squatting is too difficult as you get older,” she added. According to The Conversation, a nonprofit Australian media outlet, public toilets — including the seat and surrounding surfaces — can harbor a variety of microorganisms. These include gut bacteria such as E. coli that can cause gastroenteritis, norovirus and rotavirus, as well as antibiotic-resistant bacteria like MRSA, parasite eggs and protozoa. Lotti Tajouri, an associate professor of genomics and molecular biology and biomedical sciences at Bond University, said that poorly maintained public restrooms used by many people can become a “microbial soup.” The toilet rim and undersides are often coated with bio

Sep 27, 2025By Kormedi.com
Is it safe to sit on a public toilet seat? Experts say hygiene fears may be overblown — but precautions still matter

Cancer, heart disease, pneumonia among major causes of death in 2024

Cancer, heart disease and pneumonia were among the key causes of death for Koreans in 2024, data showed Thursday, with suicide remaining the top factor among those in their 40s and younger. Last year, the total number of deaths reported in the country came to 358,569, up 1.7 percent from a year earlier, according to Statistics Korea. The agency said 702.6 deaths were reported per 100,000 Koreans last year, also up 1.9 percent from a year earlier. The report showed that cancer accounted for 24.8 percent of total deaths in 2024, followed by heart disease at 9.4 percent and pneumonia at 8.4 percent. The three factors were responsible for more than 42 percent of total deaths. Suicide, meanwhile, stood as the fifth-biggest cause of death for Koreans at 4.1 percent. A total of 14,872 people took their own lives last year, up 6.3 percent from a year earlier. It remained the main cause of death for people aged between 10 and 49 in Korea in 2024, and the second-biggest cause of death for those in their 50s. Korea currently holds the highest suicide rate among the member countries of the Organization

Sep 25, 2025By Yonhap
Cancer, heart disease, pneumonia among major causes of death in 2024

K-beauty boom raises safety concerns about human testing

The rapid growth of Korea’s cosmetics industry is being powered by a surge in human application trials, but the number of reported cases of harm to participants is also increasing. Critics say the government has failed to put in place adequate protections, even as President Lee Jae Myung promotes K-beauty as a leading cultural brand. According to data released Sept. 18 by Rep. Ahn Sang-hoon of the opposition People Power Party, 21 testing institutions conducted 9,984 human application trials last year. The figure is the highest since recordkeeping began in 2020 and represents more than a twofold increase in four years, from 4,375 cases in 2020. An estimated 200,000 people participated in tests last year. Human application tests are conducted when cosmetics manufacturers commission specialized institutions to verify the safety and efficacy of specific products. These institutions operate as members of the Korean Association of Human Research Centers, a private group of 30 member companies. The top human testing institutions last year were the Korea Dermatology Research Institute with 2,2

Sep 22, 2025By Hankookilbo
K-beauty boom raises safety concerns about human testing

Instant noodles with rice: Korea's beloved combo that could raise health concerns

Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. Managing blood sugar is not only about diet and exercise — the speed of eating also matters. Health authorities recommend taking at least 20 minutes to finish a meal, since liquid foods such as soup, juice or broth pass quickly through the stomach and are absorbed fast, causing blood sugar spikes. In Korea, it is common to mix rice into leftover broth, but this practice can make it easier to consume meals more quickly and increase the risk of blood sugar surges. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and the Korean Diabetes Association, eating fruit in juice form has a similar effect. Unlike whole fruit, which contains fiber that slows digestion, juice is absorbed almost immediately and can cause sharp glucose spikes. When rice is mixed into a broth, carbohydrates are absorbed quickly, and diners often swallow without chewing thoroughly. Adding rice to instant noodles — already a high glycemic index food — can nearly double carbohydrate intake, accelerating blood sugar increases. It also discourages eating fiber-ri

Sep 20, 2025By Kormedi.com
Instant noodles with rice: Korea's beloved combo that could raise health concerns

Bright smiles, hidden risks: K-pop group Koyote talks dental veneers

Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. K-pop group Koyote revealed they recently received dental veneer treatments to mark their 27th anniversary. On the Sept. 13 broadcast of tvN variety show “Amazing Saturday,” members Kim Jong-min, Shin Ji and Bbaek Ga appeared as guests. When host Boom complimented their appearance, Kim and Shin Ji responded, “We really take care of ourselves. The three of us are working hard together.” Boom then asked, “Didn’t you all get your teeth done together again this time?” Shin confirmed, saying, “That’s right,” before explaining that the group decided to undergo veneer procedures together, proudly showing their bright smiles. What are dental veneers? The veneer procedure involves shaving down the enamel, then attaching a custom-made prosthetic that resembles natural teeth. It can quickly improve the color, shape and alignment of teeth. Veneers are often chosen by people with smaller-than-average teeth or noticeable gaps between teeth, and celebrities sometimes undergo the treatment during busy schedules to maintain their appearance.

Sep 18, 2025By Kormedi.com
Bright smiles, hidden risks: K-pop group Koyote talks dental veneers

Heavy drinking linked to higher risk of rare soft tissue cancer in women

Women who drink heavily face a higher risk of developing soft tissue sarcoma. This rare malignant tumor arises in muscles, fat, nerves, blood vessels and other connective tissues, according to new research by Catholic University of Korea St. Vincent’s Hospital. The study, released Sept. 14, tracked 3.93 million Korean adults who underwent national health checkups in 2009, over an 11-year period. Led by orthopedic surgeon Joo Min-wook, the research team examined the link between alcohol consumption and the incidence of soft tissue sarcoma, which accounts for less than 1 percent of all cancers. The findings show that women who consumed less than four drinks a day — equivalent to under 30 grams of ethanol — had a 1.51 times higher risk of developing the cancer compared with nondrinkers. For women drinking four or more drinks daily, the risk rose to 2.48 times. Measured by drink per occasion, the risk increased 1.35 times for women who drank three to four drinks, 1.73 times for five to seven drinks and 3.7 times for binge drinking of 14 or more drinks in one sitting. No significant asso

Sep 15, 2025By Hankookilbo
Heavy drinking linked to higher risk of rare soft tissue cancer in women

Korea’s obesity crisis: men at 50%, women at 28%

Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. Abdominal obesity among Koreans in their 30s and 40s has reached 42 percent and continues to rise, according to new research. The study also found that when both parents are obese, their child’s risk of obesity increases by 5.9 times, with girls facing nearly seven times a higher risk. The editorial team for the "2025 Obesity Fact Sheet" of the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity (KSSO), led by Prof. Han Kyung-do of Soongsil University, analyzed data from the National Health Insurance Service’s general health checkups (2014–2023) and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s national nutrition surveys. The findings show that adult obesity prevalence rose from 31 percent in 2014 to 38 percent in 2023. Male obesity rates jumped from 39 percent to 50 percent during the same period, while female obesity prevalence increased from 24 percent to 28 percent. Cases of severe obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or higher, now affect three out of every 100 young men and two out of every 100 young women. In 2023, the over

Sep 13, 2025By Kormedi.com
Korea’s obesity crisis: men at 50%, women at 28%

Constipation myth in Korea: Can it really lead to colon cancer?

Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. As constipation-related ads flood social media feeds with warnings of “bloated bellies full of toxins” and claims that “ignoring constipation will lead to serious illness,” many people are left wondering — does chronic constipation really increase the risk of colon cancer? Medical experts say the short answer is no — there is currently no scientific evidence proving that constipation causes colon cancer. No proven causal link Some studies have found that colon polyps and colon cancer are discovered more frequently among patients with chronic constipation. However, experts stress that this does not mean constipation itself is the cause. “People used to believe that if constipation is severe, the prolonged exposure of the colon to toxic substances in stools would increase cancer risk,” said Park Ji-won, a professor at Seoul National University Hospital’s colorectal surgery department. “But so far, no research has proven a causal relationship between constipation and colon cancer.” When to seek medical attention While constipat

Sep 13, 2025By Kormedi.com
Constipation myth in Korea: Can it really lead to colon cancer?

Korea sets ambitious goal of cutting suicide rate by 40% in 10 years

The Korean government on Friday announced a new initiative to tackle the country’s suicide rate, which remains the highest among OECD countries for the 22nd consecutive year, setting an ambitious goal of reducing it by nearly half in the next 10 years. Last year, more than 14,400 Koreans took their own lives ― an average of 40 deaths per day. Under the 2025 national suicide prevention strategy, the government set out to cut annual suicide deaths to below 10,000 within five years and to lower the suicide rate from 28.3 per 100,000 people in 2024 to 17 by 2034. Officials said they set the 2034 target by referencing Lithuania’s rate of 17.1, which is the second-highest among OECD member states. To reach these targets, authorities plan to intensify support and supervision, particularly for high-risk groups such as suicide attempt survivors and bereaved family members. “There were some reservations about setting the goal, but simply saying ‘we would make an effort’ was not enough, so we have decided to set a challenging goal,” Lee Hyung-hoon, second vice minister of health and

Sep 12, 2025By Jung Min-ho
Korea sets ambitious goal of cutting suicide rate by 40% in 10 years
previous page
1314151617
next page

Most Read in South Korea