South Korea - The Korea Times

Homosexuals account for half of new HIV infections

/ YonhapBy Jung Min-hoHomosexuals account for nearly half of new HIV infections in Korea, according to government data revealed Monday.Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDCP) statistics show that 712 people were confirmed to have been infected with HIV in 2016. Among them, 325 people (45.6 percent) contracted the virus from homosexual activities.The exact size of the gay population here is unknown. But the Korea Institute of Sexology’s 2011 survey showed that seven out of 1,000 Korean adults (0.7 percent) have had homosexual experience.Most of the infected people were men (92.8 percent). By age, people in their 40s accounted for 26.8 percent, followed by 30s (21.5 percent) and 50s (21.3 percent).HIV is a type of virus called a retrovirus, which infects the human immune system. Over time, it may cause AIDS by eventually killing off the white blood cells that fight infections.The accumulated number of Koreans testing positive for HIV surpassed 10,000 for the first time in 2015, according to the KCDCP.

Mar 12, 2018

Homosexuals account for half of new HIV infections

Seek medical attention for dry eyes and mouth

Early diagnosis crucial in treating rare Sjogren’s syndromeBy Lee Kyung-minEarly diagnosis and continued treatment can help patients better manage Sjogren's Syndrome, a possibly chronic yet non-fatal disorder of the immune system identified by two most common symptoms _ dry eyes and a dry mouth, according to an expert. The rare disease, which often accompanies other immune system disorders including rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, is much more common in women. Most of the patients are usually older than 40 at the time of diagnosis. Any age group can develop the disease. “People diagnosed with the syndrome have significantly decreased tears and saliva,” according to Park Hee-jin, a rheumatologist at Catholic Kwandong University International St. Mary’s Hospital. “Patients usually say they have a burning feeling in their eyes or an itch, adding that they have a hard time blinking. They also say their mouths are dry to the point where they feel difficult to speak or swallow,” she added. That happens because the mucous membranes and moisture-secreting

Mar 11, 2018

Improving quality of life key to tackle low birthrate

By Kim Jae-heunKorea’s struggle with its low birthrate isn’t new, however, new statistics on births in 2017 announced Wednesday came as a shock. According to Statistics Korea, only 357,700 babies were born last year, falling below the 400,000 mark for the first time. That put the average birthrate at 1.05 per woman, the lowest since data began being collected. Statistics officials project that if this trend continues, Korea will see its population peak in 2028, four years earlier than previously forecastThe report is a blow to the government which has spent 8 trillion won over the past 10 years trying to boost the birthrate. Experts say that its policy priority was wrong and urged that administration to focus on improving the quality of life in general so that young people can actually consider marriage and having children. “During the last decade, plans to tackle the low birthrate only focused on childcare when, in fact, the fundamental cause lies with young people not getting married,” said Prof. Cho Young-tea of the Graduate School of Public Health at Seoul

Mar 1, 2018

Number of newborns lowest ever

By Jhoo Dong-chanThe number of newborns stood at 357,700 last year, falling below the 400,000 mark for the first time, according to Statistics Korea, Wednesday. The figure is also down 48,000 from 2016, the largest drop since 2002.The average birthrate was 1.05, also the lowest figure since the government started collecting data. The rates in the country’s two largest cities _ Seoul and Busan _ were below one. “This is far worse than we ever anticipated. The demographic cliff scenario is likely to strike Korea earlier than expected,” an official from the statistics agency said.The average age for a woman giving birth to her first baby was 32.6 in 2017, up 0.2 from a year earlier.In contrast, the mortality rate jumped to a record high last year reflecting the aging society, and indicating the nation is starting to go over the demographic cliff. Statistics Korea said the number of deaths came in at 285,600 last year, up 4,800 from a year earlier _ or 783 people every day.The country’s net population growth stood at 72,000 last year, also the lowest figure Statis

Feb 28, 2018

70% of immigrant wives here are Vietnamese: data

By Kwak Yeon-soo, Park Si-soo Nearly 73 percent of foreign women who married Korean men between 2014 and 2016 were Vietnamese, data showed on Wednesday. The average age of Korean grooms at the time of marriage was 43.6, while that of their foreign brides was 25.2, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family data showed. The grooms’ age was nearly 11 years more than the national first-marriage average age of men in 2017, 32.8, while the foreign brides’ age was five years younger than the nationwide average of 30.1.The ministry releases data on international marriage annually and the latest report covers 2014 to 2016. Cambodians made up the second-biggest portion of foreign wives (8.8 percent), followed by Chinese (7.6 percent) and Filipinas (3.7 percent). By academic background, 54.8 percent of Korean grooms were high school graduates, followed by university diploma holders (6.1 percent) and middle school graduates (6.1 percent). Among foreign spouses, those with high school diplomas accounted for 52.4 percent, followed by middle school diplomas (29.8 percent) and bachelor&

Feb 28, 2018

70% of immigrant wives here are Vietnamese: data

80% of Zika-infected Koreans visited Southeast Asia

Carriers of Zika. / YonhapBy Jung Min-ho, Kang Aa-youngNearly 80 percent of Zika-affected people in Korea have contracted the virus in Southeast Asia, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) Thursday.Twenty-eight people in Korea have been infected with the virus, which can cause certain birth defects. Twenty-two people contracted it from Southeast Asian countries, and six people contracted in from countries in Central and South America.The Philippines accounts for most cases (nine), followed by Vietnam (six), Thailand (five) and Maldives (two).Nine of the victims are woman (32 percent), but none were pregnant when they became infected. All the patients suffered from rashes. Nineteen experienced muscle pain, 15 had a high fever. Arthralgia and conjunctival hyperemia were among the other symptoms observed.The KCDC has urged people to be cautious of the risk of the virus, which appears to be still active in Southeast Asia.The KCDC also advised those who have visited Zika-infected regions to use contraception for at least six months.Zika virus is primaril

Feb 23, 2018

80% of Zika-infected Koreans visited Southeast Asia

113 children dead from abuse since 2013

By Park Si-soo A total of 113 children died from abuse over the past five years, welfare ministry data showed Wednesday. Thirty children died last year alone.Rep. Nam In-soon of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea revealed the data, saying, “Tougher punishment is needed to rein in the rise of violence against children.”Fewer than 20 children died each year between 2013 and 2015 (17 in 2013, 14 in 2014 and 16 in 2015), but the number jumped to 36 in 2016. Nearly 34,200 cases of child abuse were reported last year and 21,524 were confirmed to have broken the law, up 15.3 percent and 15.1 percent respectively from 2016. Parents made up 77.2 percent of offenders, followed by employees at child care centers (14.2 percent) and relatives (4.8 percent). By type of abuse, 50.9 percent were a “combination” of physical and mental maltreatment, followed by mental abuse (20.2 percent), physical abuse (14 percent), abandonment (12 percent) and sexual abuse (2.9 percent).“The situation is getting worse,” said Nam. “This data merely shows the tip of th

Feb 21, 2018

Nurse's suicide sheds light on bullying in hospital

By Kim Se-jeongA nurse’s suicide last week is shedding light on prevalent bullying by senior staff nurses against their juniors in hospitals.Dubbed “taewoom” meaning “burning” in Korean, bullying is a long “tradition” in the nursing community which new nurses deplore. Yet, rooting it out has been problematic _ nurses say the bigger the hospital is, the worse the situation is.Last Thursday, police found the body of a young female nurse from Asan Medical Center, one of the most prestigious hospitals in the country, outside an apartment complex in eastern Seoul in an apparent suicide.She didn’t leave any messages but interviews with friends and family led the police to believe that the victim took her own life due to enormous stress from her job. Police said she was working in the intensive care unit and two days before the incident was harshly reprimanded after misplacing an abdominal drainage tube. They are continuing their investigation.The victim’s boyfriend claimed the issue was much more serious, as six months into her job she

Feb 20, 2018

Nurse's suicide sheds light on bullying in hospital

Norovirus scare feared to disrupt PyongChang Games

By Kim Se-jeong Forty-one private security guards hired for the PyeongChang Winter Olympics are showing symptoms of a norovirus infection, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said Tuesday.According to the KCDC, they have been vomiting and suffering from diarrhea since Saturday. Among them, 21 cases were confirmed Tuesday night. “We suspect a norovirus is to blame for other patients with similar symptoms,” a KCDC official said Tuesday. “But the ongoing survey will have the final say.”The KCDC inspection team began an epidemiological survey Monday on all 1,025 security officers hired for the event. All were staying in the same building 15 kilometers north of PyeongChang, eating the same food and drinking the same water. The KCDC said they separated the 41 from the others not showing symptoms and suspended all from working while the survey is underway. The KCDC suspects food and water as the main culprits of the infection, and investigators are examining this. The water supply reportedly came from groundwater. The KCDC has banned the same

Feb 6, 2018

Norovirus scare feared to disrupt PyongChang Games

Emergency guideline compliance saved patients in hospital fire

By Lee Kyung-min A full compliance with the safety and disaster management guidelines saved patients at Severance Hospital in Shinchon, Seoul, where no casualties were reported despite a fire Saturday morning, fire authorities said Sunday. Soon after the fire started at 7:56 a.m. on the third floor of the hospital’s main building, medical staffers instructed the patients to run in the opposite direction from where the smoke began billowing. Over 300 patients were all safety evacuated. Eight people inhaled toxic gas, but remain in stable condition. Around 400 patients and caregivers evacuated returned to their rooms later. About 270 firefighters and 80 fire extinguishing vehicles were mobilized only eight minutes after the fire incident. It was largely put out at 9:11 a.m. less than an hour after the report was filed, and the fire was completely extinguished at 9:59 a.m. Police and firefighters confirmed no one was injured by the fire. Sprinklers were in full operation with no malfunctions reported. Compartmentalizing blockades inside the building were all functional,

Feb 4, 2018

Health