South Korea - The Korea Times

Gov’t to overhaul credential system for health workers seeking overseas jobs

The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Wednesday it will survey public opinion ahead of introducing a bill to revise related laws governing the issuance of official licenses and qualification certificates for health care workers working abroad. The public comment period runs from March 26 to April 6. The proposed change addresses a long-standing problem: Under the existing system, a Certificate of Good Standing (CGS) — the standard document foreign employers and licensing bodies use to verify a Korean health worker's credentials — could only be issued to practitioners with a completely clean slate. This meant a doctor, nurse or other health care professional who received a past sanction, even one that had fully expired, could not obtain the certificate and was effectively blocked from working overseas. The proposed revision aims to create a two-track system, the ministry said. The CGS would continue to be issued to practitioners with no disciplinary history. A newly created document, the Certificate of Current Professional Status (CCPS), would be available to practitioners who have a

Mar 25, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan

Gov’t to overhaul credential system for health workers seeking overseas jobs

Tuberculosis cases hit record high among elderly despite overall decline

Tuberculosis cases in Korea fell for the 14th consecutive year in 2025, but infections among older residents reached a record high, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said Tuesday. Korea recorded 17,070 tuberculosis cases in 2025, a 4.9 percent decline from a year earlier. The notification rate fell to 33.5 cases per 100,000 people, down from 35.2 in 2024. Since 2011 — when cases peaked at 50,491, or 100.8 per 100,000, the highest on record — the caseload has dropped by 66.2 percent, an average annual decline of 7.5 percent, according to the KDCA. The decline, however, obscures a deepening structural shift. Patients 65 and older totaled 10,669 in 2025, up 1.3 percent from 10,534 a year earlier, and accounted for 62.5 percent of all tuberculosis cases — a share that has climbed each year since 2021, when it stood at 51.0 percent. Among those 65 and older, the notification rate reached 101.5 cases per 100,000 — 6.4 times the rate among younger people. The KDCA attributed the increase in elderly cases to the growing size of Korea's senior population, which reached 10.51

Mar 24, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan

Tuberculosis cases hit record high among elderly despite overall decline

Medical Korea 2026 kicks off with focus on AI-driven global health care

Medical Korea 2026 will open Thursday for a four-day run at Coex in Gangnam District, Seoul, featuring artificial intelligence (AI)-focused programs connecting Korea and the global health care industry. Hosted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the event has served since 2010 as a platform for global health care experts to share industry insights and promote international cooperation. Under the theme “AI-Powered Global Healthcare: Bringing the Future and the World Closer,” this year’s event will examine key challenges and the future of the health care industry in the era of AI. Edward Marx, chief executive officer of health care consulting firm Marx Advisory, will deliver a keynote address on how AI is reshaping the global health care industry. Jung Eun-young, director general of the Health Industry Policy Bureau at the health ministry, will outline Korea’s global medical services and future policy directions. Business meetings will connect overseas buyers seeking partnerships with Korean medical institutions and companies. Last year, 667 meetings led to 45 memorandums of un

Mar 18, 2026By Park Ung

Medical Korea 2026 kicks off with focus on AI-driven global health care

KDCA safety net serves tuberculosis patients turned away by hospitals

One tuberculosis patient had his infection discovered during emergency surgery after a suicide attempt, with no guardian and a canceled resident registration. Another tuberculosis patient could not afford 31,630 won ($21) for a hospital visit. A homeless tuberculosis patient was refused help by his younger sister. These real cases are turned away by many hospitals. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s (KDCA) Tuberculosis Relief Belt Project (TRBP), however, has stepped in. Launched in 2014, TRBP provides comprehensive support throughout the course of tuberculosis treatment, covering medical care, caregivers, hospital transfers and nutritional assistance. Operating through a network of 20 medical institutions, the program serves as a safety net for socially and economically vulnerable tuberculosis patients. “The project, now in its 13th year, is a valuable initiative for the agency because it reflects voices from the field,” KDCA Commissioner Lim Seung-kwan said at a briefing for reporters Wednesday. “Work that requires sustained long-term effort and does not immedia

Mar 13, 2026By Park Ung

KDCA safety net serves tuberculosis patients turned away by hospitals

Park Min-young’s extreme fasting for drama role sparks health concerns

Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. Actress Park Min-young revealed she underwent extreme weight loss for a drama role, drawing both admiration for her dedication and concern about potential health risks. At a recent press conference for tvN’s new Monday-Tuesday drama “Siren,” Park said, “My character barely eats,” adding, “During filming, I fasted while drinking about 3 liters of water a day.” She said she has since returned to her normal condition. Park plays Han Seol-ah, a woman at the center of an insurance fraud scandal. She said she tried to keep her physique as thin as possible to portray a character pushed to psychological extremes. “I worried that even slight weight gain would reduce the character’s desperation,” she said, emphasizing that physical management was part of her acting. Park previously said she reduced her weight to 37 kilograms for her role as a cancer patient in “Marry My Husband,” enduring on ion drinks alone during filming. Although she did not disclose her current weight, observers said she again appeared to push her body to its

Feb 26, 2026By Kormedi.com

Park Min-young’s extreme fasting for drama role sparks health concerns

Intermittent fasting offers no clear advantage over traditional diets, study suggests

Intermittent fasting has surged in popularity as a simple way to lose weight, built on the idea that limiting when people eat can improve metabolisms without the need for strict calorie counting. But a major international review has found the approach may not lead to greater weight loss than more conventional dieting methods. Researchers analyzed 22 randomized controlled trials involving 1,995 participants and found that intermittent fasting produced only marginal differences in weight loss compared with calorie restriction. The findings were published in the journal Cochrane Reviews. The review, led by researchers from the Rutgers School of Public Health in the United States and the University of Düsseldorf Medical School in Germany, examined a range of fasting approaches, including time-restricted eating, alternate-day fasting and plans allowing five days of normal eating followed by two days of restriction. Across studies lasting between six and twelve months, people following intermittent fasting lost on average 0.33 percent more weight than those using other dietary approaches —

Feb 21, 2026By Hankookilbo

Intermittent fasting offers no clear advantage over traditional diets, study suggests

So you had a bowl of tteokguk during Korea’s Lunar New Year? Calories and sodium decoded

Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. Tteokguk, or rice cake soup, is a Lunar New Year staple often seen as a light meal but its calories are surprisingly high. Model Han Hye-jin, known for maintaining a top physique in her 40s, has long said on TV and her personal channels, “When I eat soup-based foods, I focus on the solids and leave most of the broth.” Han has explained that she consciously reduces sodium intake, especially before shoots or photo sessions. Even when she eats soups or stews, she minimizes the broth. The reason, she said, is that salty foods can lead to facial puffiness and weight fluctuations the next day. During holidays, when oily and strongly seasoned dishes such as pan-fried foods, meat and noodles are already abundant, finishing the soup broth can sharply raise total calorie and sodium intake. Many people report noticeable weight gain after the holiday period. Why tteokguk is likened to ‘two bowls of rice’ A typical bowl of tteokguk (about 150 to 200 grams of rice cakes with beef garnish) is estimated at roughly 600 to 700 calories. Rice cakes are re

Feb 18, 2026By Kormedi.com

So you had a bowl of tteokguk during Korea’s Lunar New Year? Calories and sodium decoded

Sleep-deprived Koreans oversleep on holidays — experts warn

After the excitement of reunions fades, many Koreans report fatigue during the Lunar New Year holiday due to long travel and extensive family rituals. For office workers chronically short on sleep, the break may seem like the perfect chance to catch up all at once. But experts warn that binge sleeping can actually harm health. Koreans’ sleep patterns are already concerning. The average daily sleep time is 7 hours and 41 minutes — more than 40 minutes shorter than the OECD average of 8 hours and 22 minutes. Frequent overtime work, after-hours socializing, intense competition and smartphone use late into the night are major disruptors of restful sleep. Hwang Kyung-jin, a professor of neurology at Kyung Hee University Hospital, said, “During sleep, memory consolidation, immune system regulation and removal of brain waste occur. If you face the next day without these processes, concentration declines and reaction speed slows.” Even after several sleepless days, daily functioning may seem intact because of the body’s ability to endure. Hwang said, “Adrenaline and stress hormones

Feb 17, 2026By Hankookilbo

Sleep-deprived Koreans oversleep on holidays — experts warn

Korea's Lunar New Year holiday travel warning: Calf pain when flexing ankle could signal dangerous clot

As the Lunar New Year holiday began, many people began traveling long distances, whether returning to their hometowns or heading overseas on long-postponed trips. Health experts warn that spending extended hours in cramped airplane, train or car seats can increase the risk of so-called “economy class syndrome.” The formal medical term for economy class syndrome is deep vein thrombosis, a condition in which blood clots form in the legs due to poor circulation after prolonged sitting in confined spaces such as airplane economy seats. The risk is not limited to flights. Anyone sitting in a fixed position for hours in traffic jams, on trains or buses can develop the condition. When blood flow slows and pools in deep leg veins, clots may form. Byun Jae-ho, a professor of cardiology at Incheon St. Mary’s Hospital, said, “Sitting or lying in the same position for a long time increases the risk of blood clot formation. Those with a history of blood clots, cancer patients, pregnant women and people taking hormone therapy are in high-risk groups and need especially careful management.”

Feb 14, 2026By Hankookilbo

Korea's Lunar New Year holiday travel warning: Calf pain when flexing ankle could signal dangerous clot

Excessive sugar intake among Koreans on rise; women show higher consumption: survey

A growing share of Korean people have been consuming excessive amounts of sugar in recent years, even as overall sugar intake has declined from earlier highs, a government report showed Monday. Koreans' average daily sugar intake per capita stood at 59.8 grams in 2023, up from 58.7 grams in 2020, according to the report based on a national health survey conducted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The figure marked a notable decrease from the 67.9 grams recorded in 2016, but showed an upward trend in recent years. The proportion of people with excessive sugar consumption — defined as sugar accounting for more than 20 percent of total energy intake — reached 16.9 percent in 2023, compared with 15.2 percent in 2020 and 15.8 percent in both 2021 and 2022. By age group, the share of excessive sugar intake was highest at 26.7 percent among children under nine, followed by 17.4 percent among teenagers aged 10-18 and 17 percent among those aged 19-29. By gender, 21 percent of women were found to consume excessive sugar, compared with 12.9 percent of men. Beverages and tea wer

Feb 9, 2026By Yonhap

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