South Korea - The Korea Times

Korea vows thorough radiation tests of seafood as Japan begins 2nd round of Fukushima water release

Korea will continue intensive radiation tests on domestic and imported seafood as Japan began the second phase of the discharge of contaminated water from its crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean on Thursday, the oceans ministry said.

Oct 5, 2023

Korea vows thorough radiation tests of seafood as Japan begins 2nd round of Fukushima water release

Japan begins 2nd water release from Fukushima power plant

Korea to freeze health insurance premiums for 2024

The health ministry said Tuesday it will freeze state health insurance premiums for next year for the first time in seven years.

Sep 26, 2023

Korea to freeze health insurance premiums for 2024

Korea approves emergency use of Moderna's updated vaccine

Korea's health authorities said Tuesday they approved the emergency use of Moderna Inc.'s updated COVID-19 vaccine to target today's most common strain.

Sep 26, 2023

Korea approves emergency use of Moderna's updated vaccine

Will new measures ease shortage of pediatricians in Korea?

The government announced new measures to address a shortage of pediatric physicians in Korea, which experts fear could escalate into a major child health care crisis.

Sep 25, 2023By Jun Ji-hye

Will new measures ease shortage of pediatricians in Korea?

Korean gov't faces international criticism for R&D budget cuts

The international scientific community is criticizing a decision by the Korean government to cut next year's budget for state-sponsored scientific research activities. The criticism comes after the decision raised public concerns here for possibly damaging the country’s growth potential.

Sep 25, 2023By Park Jae-hyuk

Korean gov't faces international criticism for R&D budget cuts

Patients, doctors at loggerheads as operating room CCTV footage made mandatory

Both patients’ groups and the medical sector are reacting against a revised Medical Services Act that requires medical institutions to install close-circuit cameras (CCTV) in operating rooms to prevent possible abuses against patients under anesthesia.

Sep 24, 2023By Lee Hae-rin

Patients, doctors at loggerheads as operating room CCTV footage made mandatory

Cancer, heart disease among major causes of death in 2022

Cancer and heart diseases were among the major causes of death for Koreans in 2022, data showed Thursday, with the total number of deaths hitting a new record.

Sep 21, 2023

Cancer, heart disease among major causes of death in 2022

Free flu vaccination program kicks off

A notice of the national free flu vaccination program for high-risk groups is posted at a hospital in Seoul's Seongbuk District, Wednesday. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said the program, which will run through April 30 next year, targets children aged six months to 12 years old, pregnant women and those aged 65 and over. Yonhap

Sep 20, 2023

Korea to expand emergency seawater radiation tests amid Fukushima woes

A researcher conducts testing on levels of radioactive materials in seafood products at the Health and Environment Research Institute in Seoul, Aug. 24. YonhapKorea will strengthen emergency seawater radiation tests by adding more coastal spots to ease public concerns about Japan's release of contaminated water from its crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean, Seoul's oceans minister has said.In July, Korea began emergency radiation tests on samples from a total of 75 coastal locations in the east, west and south of Korea, as well as the waters off the southern island of Jeju, about a month ahead of Japan's release of "treated" radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant, which was crippled by a massive 2011 earthquake and tsunami, into the sea."We chose the spots, as they are expected to have the released waters first given the sea current. We will add more locations to the list, particularly in the East Sea, to further ensure safety," Oceans Minister Cho Seung-hwan told reporters on Thursday during his visit to a test spot off the southern port city of Bu

Sep 18, 2023

Korea to expand emergency seawater radiation tests amid Fukushima woes

Imports of Japanese seafood dip for 5th month in August

Korea reports over 600 cases of malaria so far this year

Researchers conduct an experiment on malaria mosquitoes at a lab of a state health research center in Suwon, south of Seoul, Aug. 16. NewsisThe number of malaria cases has been rising sharply in Korea this year, nearing the 2016 numbers, health authorities said Friday.A total of 610 cases of the mosquito-borne disease were confirmed from January to the first week of September, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).This is more than double the 301 cases recorded during the same period last year. It is the first time in seven years that the number of malaria cases in the country has exceeded 600 in a single year since 2016, when South Korea reported 673 cases.If the trend continues until the end of the year, the annual malaria cases would reach 700, the highest since 826 in 2011.Out of the total cases for this year, 553 were domestic transmissions and 57 were infected from overseas, the KDCA said.After being bitten by a malaria-infected mosquito, patients suffer from symptoms of fever, fatigue, chills, vomiting and headaches. (Yonhap)

Sep 15, 2023

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