South Korea - The Korea Times

7 in 10 Koreans willing to donate organs

YonhapBy Kim Hyun-binKoreans have become more open to organ donatoin, with nearly seven out of 10 in favor, a government survey showed, Wednesday.But translating that into actual donations may take some time as only 2.6 percent of the population has registered as organ donors.In a survey conducted earlier this month by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) of 1,000 people over 19 years old, 97.5 percent were aware of organ donation and 66.5 percent showed a willingness to donate.Of the people who were against it, 33 percent cited aversion to “damaging” their body, 30.4 percent were just afraid and 16.5 percent named a lack of information on other issues besides the donation process, such as how the body is treated after organs are harvested.More than 60 percent said they learned of organ donation from TV while 35.3 percent cited online ads through blogs, communities and social media.But despite the figures, the number of organ donors is low and far short of demand.There are over 30,000 people waiting for donated organs in Korea, but only 9.95 people

Dec 26, 2018By Kim Hyun-bin

7 in 10 Koreans willing to donate organs

Tamiflu safety comes into question after teenager's death

Tamiflu's common adverse effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, headache and insomnia.By Kang Seung-wooA teenage girl's suspected suicide after taking Tamiflu is fueling anxieties about the anti-flu drug that has been suspected of causing abnormal behavior.A 13-year-old middle school student surnamed Lee was found dead in the garden of her apartment building in Busan at around 6 a.m., Saturday. Police presume she jumped from the window of her home on the 12th floor, given that the window was open.Her parents claim side effects of the antiviral drug may have led to her suicide.According to them, their daughter was prescribed Tamiflu due to influenza type A. She took the drug twice on Friday and started behaving strangely that night, complaining of hallucinations. The following morning, she was found dead in the flower garden on the first floor.“After waking up to drink water (the night before she died), she headed toward the balcony, not a table. We strongly believe the cause of death is a side effect of the drug,” Lee's mother said in a media interview.In

Dec 25, 2018By Kang Seung-woo

Tamiflu safety comes into question after teenager's death

Couples need W1.7 mil. for basic living after retirement: survey

By Kim RahnThe Gangnam branch office of the National Pension Service / Korea Times fileAn elderly couple would need at least 1.76 million won ($1,500) per month minimum for living costs after retirement, and 2.43 million won to maintain a more comfortable and satisfactory life, according to a survey by the National Pension Research Institute, Tuesday.But most people have not sufficiently prepared financially for retirement, with the national pension they will receive falling way below what is needed.According to the survey conducted in 2017 of 4,449 households having a family member aged over 50, the surveyed people thought a couple would need 1.76 million won per month and a single person, 1.08 million won, for basic living costs after retirement.Basic living costs refer to expenses needed to maintain a minimum quality life if the person does not have a specific disease.For a “standard” life with more comfort and satisfaction without a disease, a couple would need 2.43 million won and a single person, 1.53 million won, the respondents said. However, pensioners who've hel

Dec 25, 2018By Kim Rahn

Couples need W1.7 mil. for basic living after retirement: survey

Sudanese medical student, disciple of revered Korean priest, becomes doctor in Korea

Thomas Taban Akot from Southern Sudan: “I would like to follow the path that Lee took.” Courtesy of Inje University College of Medicine.By Dong Sun-hwaThe late Korean priest Father Dr. John Lee. Courtesy of Inje UniversityThomas Taban Akot, a Southern Sudanese disciple of revered late Korean priest John Lee Tae-seok, recently passed the Korean medical license test to become the first person from the African country to hold a Korean doctor's license. His passing of the Korean Medical Licensing Examination was announced on Friday.Akot, 34, will start a one-year internship at Inje University Busan Paik Hospital beginning from March. After he finishes residency training, he will return to his destitute homeland to relay the love and care he received from Lee. “I would like to thank those who helped me become a doctor in Korea,” Akot said. “When I return to Tonj (his hometown in South Sudan), I would like to follow the path that Lee took.”Akot, who was Lee's assistant until 2009, has studied at Inje University's medical school on a full scholarship and

Dec 24, 2018By Dong Sun-hwa

Sudanese medical student, disciple of revered Korean priest, becomes doctor in Korea

Korea changes graphic warnings on cigarette packs

New graphic warnings on cigarette packs / Courtesy of Ministry of Health and WelfareSouth Korea has changed the graphic warnings on cigarette packs in the latest move to curb smoking, the health ministry said Sunday.In 2016, South Korea required tobacco companies to put the pictorial warnings on the upper part of both sides of cigarette packs as part of anti-smoking campaigns to help reduce smoking. The photos are required to cover more than 30 percent of both sides of a packet.The government changes the graphic warnings every 24 months as part of its efforts to raise awareness of the side effects of smoking, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.The World Health Organization also advises either changing or revising pictorial warnings periodically, according to health officials.The ministry said 12 new pictorial warnings will be placed on cigarette packs, including the electronic tobacco heating device called iQOS.The ministry forecasts cigarettes with the new warning photos to hit local shelves sometime in January.The new graphic images show smokers suffering from fat

Dec 23, 2018

Korea changes graphic warnings on cigarette packs

Norovirus is back stronger than before

By Kim Hyun-binOne of winter's least-welcome guests, norovirus season is back stronger than before. In recent months, there has been a 71 percent increase in infections compared to the same period last year. Health officials are urging the public to maintain good hygiene and wash their hands constantly for over 30 seconds to help prevent the spread of the virus.Norovirus, sometimes referred to as the winter vomiting bug, is the most common cause of gastroenteritis. Symptoms are diarrhea, vomiting and stomach pain.According to a report by the Korea Centers for Disease and Prevention (KCDC) there were 86 norovirus cases reported between Nov. 4 to 10, and in the first week of December the number rose drastically to 147 cases.Most patients are diagnosed with norovirus during the winter to early spring.Over the last five years, an average of 1,100 people have been diagnosed with the disease, most during the winter. On average, 128 people in November, 218 in December, 115 in January and 29 in February.“The norovirus can survive subzero temperatures for a long period of time so cases

Dec 21, 2018By Kim Hyun-bin

Airport medical center to be gateway to Korean healthcare

Dignitaries from the Ministry of Health and Welfare and relevant government organizations get a briefing of the key function of the Medical Tourism Support Center which was opened at the arrival area of Incheon International Airport Terminal 1, Thursday. The center is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day. Courtesy of MOHWBy Kim Hye-seonToday we live in an era where “quality of life,” particularly one's health and wellbeing, is considered essential. Many people are eagerly traveling to other countries to seek access to varied medical services, and this has led to the steady growth of the global healthcare market. In line with the trend, Korea revised the Medical Service Act in 2009 to allow Korean hospitals to provide medical treatment for foreign patients. Based on the revised law and with Korea's advanced skills in healthcare, the number of foreign patients coming to Korea is increasing every year. The figure is well over 300,000 with slight fluctuations due to external factors such as exchange rates and diplomatic issues. Kim Hye-seonFor Korea to become a more attractiv

Dec 21, 2018By Kim Hyun-bin

Airport medical center to be gateway to Korean healthcare

321,000 foreign patients spent $569.8 million for treatment in Korea

A Russian patient gets treatment at a hospital in Seoul. Courtesy of Gangseo-gu districtBy Park Si-soo More foreigners are coming to Korea for medical treatment.Last year, 321,574 foreigners from 190 countries visited here for treatment, up from 296,889 from 187 countries in 2015 and 211,218 from 191 countries in 2013. They spent 640 billion won ($569.8 million), according to a Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) report By gender, 62.9 percent of the patients were female. Small-staffed hospitals and those offering Western and Oriental medicine together benefit a lot from the increase. Nearly 30 percent were treated at small hospitals last year, up from 24.1 percent in 2015 and 22 percent in 2013. Those who visited hospitals offering Western-Oriental treatment soared 12.9 percent to 20,343, up from 18,011 in 2016. “Since local hospitals were allowed to treat foreign patients in 2009, the influx of foreign patients has increased,” a KHIDI official said. “The government, public and private medical institutes are mapping out their own plans to attract fo

Dec 21, 2018

321,000 foreign patients spent $569.8 million for treatment in Korea

Gov't opens medical tourism center at Incheon airport

The Medical Tourism Support Center was opened at the arrival area of Incheon International Airport Terminal 1, Thursday. The center is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day. YonhapBy Kim Hyun-binThe government opened its Medical Tourism Support Center at Incheon International Airport, Tuesday, to increase the convenience for foreign tourists who want to book medical procedures upon landing in Korea.The center will be operated jointly by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.“The medical center will make it more convenient for foreign visitors seeking medical procedures as soon as they land,” the health ministry said in a press release.Previously, the Incheon International Airport Corp. had been operating a medical tourism information center, but the role has been expanded and integrated into the new support center.Medical consultants and nurses who speak foreign languages including English, Japanese, Chinese and Russian, will be on hand at the center to provide comprehensive medical consultations as well as related information o

Dec 18, 2018By Kim Hyun-bin

Gov't opens medical tourism center at Incheon airport

Korea's obesity-related costs exceed W11 trillion

By Kim Hyun-binObesity is becoming a serious health issue in Korea costing over 11 trillion won each year in socioeconomic costs.According to the National Health Insurance Corp. (NHIC), over 11.4 trillion won was spent due to obesity in 2016 alone, accounting for 0.7 percent of the nation's gross domestic product (GDP) that year.The NHIC compiled data on 10.1 million patients who did not have obesity-related diseases during health check-ups from 2003 to 2004, and kept monitoring their health through 2015. Medical expenses took up over 5.88 trillion won, or 51 percent of the total socioeconomic costs; followed by costs arising from low productivity at 20.5 percent;, that from productivity losses, 13.1 percent; early death, 10 percent; and nursing expenses, 4.3 percent.Productivity loss occurs when overweight people have to take leave from work to get treatment for their diseases, which decreases manpower and productivity. “Out of the total cost, medical expense accounted for 51.3 percent, which shows that the obesity problem is one of the main health tasks we need to deal with,&

Dec 17, 2018By Kim Hyun-bin

Health