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Korea approves first-ever digital therapeutics device

Mobile application Somzz, the first-ever digital therapeutics device to gain approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, displayed during a briefing at the ministry's headquarters in Osong, North Chungcheong Province, Wednesday. YonhapBy Lee Hyo-jin A domestically developed mobile application that can be used to treat insomnia won regulatory approval, Wednesday, becoming the first-ever digital therapeutics device to be introduced in Korea.The ground-breaking move is expected to spur the development of the nation's digital therapeutics industry. But some questions remain, such as how the cutting-edge digital software will be included in the state health insurance system, as well as possible confusion over the absence of prescription guidelines.The Ministry of Drug and Food Safety announced its approval of Somzz, a digital treatment device based on a software application for insomnia patients developed by Aimmed, a digital healthcare company.Somzz uses cognitive behavioral therapy and analysis of circadian rhythms to treat sleep disorders through an array of treatment methods i

Feb 16, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin

Korea approves first-ever digital therapeutics device

Doctors threaten strike over possible legislation of Nursing Act

A coalition of medical workers including the Korean Medical Association holds a press conference in front of the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday, calling on lawmakers to retract the proposed Nursing Act. YonhapBy Lee Hyo-jin Doctors have warned they will stage a strike in protest of the proposed legislation of the Nursing Act ― a new set of laws that stipulate the roles and duties of licensed nurses ― as they view it may cause confusion in the public healthcare system if passed.The Korea Medical Association (KMA) held a press conference in front of the National Assembly, Monday, to condemn the lawmakers' recent decision to fast-track the Nursing Act. On Feb. 9, the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee voted to fast-track the Nursing Act, which had been stalled at the Legislation and Judiciary Committee for over eight months, to the main floor for a plenary session. Considering that the Nursing Act has garnered support from lawmakers from the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), which controls more than half of the 300-seat Assembly, the bill is likely to be

Feb 13, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin

Doctors threaten strike over possible legislation of Nursing Act

Lunar orbiter Danuri sends back photos of moon's surface

Seen is a photo of the Earth taken by the Danuri lunar orbiter for about a month from Jan. 6 to Feb. 4. The science ministry said Monday that the lunar orbiter photographed the Earth once a day to observe our planet's change of phase when observed from the moon. Courtesy of Ministry of Science and ICTKorea's unmanned space vehicle Danuri has sent its first-ever photos of the surface of the moon after starting orbiting Earth's natural satellite a month ago, the state space research center said Monday.Danuri, which entered the selenocentric orbit on Dec. 27 after 145 days of traveling from Earth, has gone through test runs for about a month, starting from Jan. 2, to transform its system to the main operation mode from the traveling mode to carry out its mission on the moon.During the test operations, Danuri, which is rotating around the moon 100 kilometers above the surface, took pictures of Vallis Rheita on Jan. 5, Sea of Rains on Jan. 10 and Ocean of Storms on Jan. 13 with its high-definition cameras, according to the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI).They are Korea's first s

Feb 13, 2023

Lunar orbiter Danuri sends back photos of moon's surface

Gov't recommendation of COVID-19 vaccinations for babies unwelcomed by parents

gettyimagebankBy Jun Ji-hyeKim Won-kyeong, the mother of a 13-month-old girl and a four-year-old boy, felt confused when she got a text message from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), Wednesday, which stated that the government will provide COVID-19 vaccinations for infants and toddlers from six months to four years beginning Feb. 13.In the message sent to all parents who have children in that age group across the country, the KDCA said that inoculation would be necessary to prevent infections and that it would be the best means to prevent virus patients from falling into a serious condition.Kim said the message caused her great concern. She could not be 100 percent sure about the safety of vaccines for young children.“The vaccines have been developed only recently, so I cannot trust their safety. Plus, I have already seen some people around me suffer from side effects after vaccinations,” Kim said in an interview. “I do not want my children to be vaccinated yet.”Park Sae-bom, the mother of a 13-month-old boy, also said possible side effec

Feb 9, 2023By Jun Ji-hye

Gov't recommendation of COVID-19 vaccinations for babies unwelcomed by parents

Korea could resume issuing short-term visas to Chinese visitors soon

Jee Young-mee, commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency speaks during a press conference held at the agency's headquarters in Osong, North Chungcheong Province, Tuesday. Courtesy of Korea Disease Control and Prevention AgencyKDCA chief says life will return to normal in 2023By Lee Hyo-jin Korea is mulling the resumption of issuing short-terms visas to Chinese nationals earlier than late February, according to Korea Disease Control Prevention Agency (KDCA) Commissioner Jee Young-mee. Her remarks came as Seoul and Beijing are engaged in a tit-for-tat involving travel restrictions triggered by a resurgence of coronavirus infections in China.Since Jan. 2, authorities in Korea have tightened virus restrictions on visitors from China, suspending issuances of short-term visas and requiring those entering the country ― regardless of their nationality ― to receive a PCR test before and after arriving here. Introducing such measures, the government said it will review whether to lift the restrictions in late February.In an apparent retaliation, Beijing also suspended is

Feb 7, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin

Korea could resume issuing short-term visas to Chinese visitors soon

US reaffirms nuclear security assurances to South Korea

Foreign Minister Park Jin and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken hold a joint press conference after their meeting at the State Department in Washington, D.C., Friday (local time). Reuters-YonhapPeace without denuclearization is 'fake peace': Seoul's foreign minister By Kang Seung-wooU.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken assured South Korea of Washington's full security commitment against North Korea's evolving nuclear threats amid growing doubts here over the credibility of Washington's extended deterrence for its ally. Blinken's remark was made after his meeting with South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin in Washington, D.C. “We take extended deterrence very seriously. And just in the last year, we've renewed our working group on extended deterrence. We've engaged in multiple exercises. And we have colleagues who at this very moment are working to strengthen and deepen even further our collaboration on extended deterrence,” Blinken said during a joint press conference. “We are committed to defending the Republic of Korea using the full range of our capabiliti

Feb 4, 2023By Kang Seung-woo

US reaffirms nuclear security assurances to South Korea

INTERVIEW 'Extended deterrence is best option to ensure peace on Korean Peninsula'

Too many emergency text alerts? Gov't to halt daily COVID-19 notifications

A man enters a COVID-19 screening center in Yongsan District, Seoul. FridayOver 145,000 alerts sent during 3 years of pandemicBy Lee Hyo-jin It's no exaggeration to say that emergency text alerts have become a part of daily life in Korea since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the early stages of the pandemic, local governments notified residents on a daily basis of the number of new cases in their area as well as contact tracing information on virus carriers. The alert system has also been actively used by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency to inform the public about adjustments in the government's virus curbs and to encourage people to sign up for coronavirus vaccinations.Since being adopted in 2005, the nationwide mobile notification system has been used by various government agencies to issue warnings about disasters and to provide guidelines in emergency situations. The notifications are sent to people in affected areas to warn about infectious diseases, fine dust, torrential rain, typhoons, extreme weather conditions and

Feb 3, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin

Too many emergency text alerts? Gov't to halt daily COVID-19 notifications

Gov't announces measures to cope with shortage of surgeons

Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong announces his ministry's comprehensive plan to strengthen the country's essential medical services at Government Complex Seoul, Jan. 31. YonhapHealth ministry seeks to increase compensation for physicians in essential fieldsBy Lee Hyo-jin The Ministry of Health and Welfare will review reducing penalties for doctors accused of medical malpractice, as it views the risk of getting involved in medial law suits as one of the reasons why would-be physicians shun departments where complicated surgeries are performed.The plan was included in measures that were announced to strengthen the country's vital medical fields, such as surgery, emergency rooms, pediatrics and gynecology. These fields are grappling with a shortage of physicians.But civic groups believe the proposed measure will only make it easier for doctors to avoid liability in the case of medical negligence and malpractice. At a Jan. 31 briefing on its comprehensive plan to improve essential medical services, Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong said his ministry will review “various measures to reliev

Feb 2, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin

Gov't announces measures to cope with shortage of surgeons

Korea's multipurpose satellite Arirang 6 to be launched in Q4 by European rocket

The Korea Aerospace Research Institute shows a rendered image of the Arirang 5 satellite. Korea Times fileKorea will launch a multipurpose satellite in the fourth quarter of this year using a European space rocket, the science ministry said Wednesday.The Korea Multipurpose Satellite 6, known as the Arirang 6, was originally planned to be launched on Russia's Angara 1.2 vehicle last year from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northwestern Russia.But the plan was scrapped due to the international community's sanctions on Moscow over the Ukrainian invasion.The Ministry of Science and ICT said it has canceled a contract with Russia last month and picked the Vega-C rocket co-developed by the European Space Agency for the new space launch provider through an international auction.But the actual launch is expected to take place in the fourth quarter, as Vega-C is now under investigation for its launch failure in December, said the ministry.On top of that, the ministry said it is working on rescheduling the launch of a next-generation midsized observational satellite, which was scheduled to be aboa

Feb 1, 2023

Korea's multipurpose satellite Arirang 6 to be launched in Q4 by European rocket

Biohealth geared for growth

By Cho KyooHongOn Jan. 9, the Ministry of Health and Welfare reported to President Yoon Suk Yeol concerning its 2023 plan, of which the main tasks include leaping forward as a leading country in the field of biohealth through human resource cultivation, deregulation and export support. Noting that a large number of quality jobs can be created as the biohealth industry grows, President Yoon called for strong support from the government for domestic enterprises to be up to global standards, which requires a tax benefit corresponding to that of the semiconductor sector, capacity development and a solid industrial ecosystem.The global pharmaceutical and medical device markets are valued at roughly 1,400 trillion won and 600 trillion won, respectively. The emerging digital healthcare market is projected to reach 700 trillion won by 2027, which is equivalent to the Republic of Korea's top export industry, the semiconductor industry. As such, the global healthcare market presents a great opportunity we must take advantage of.Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyoo-hongGlobal supply chain re

Jan 30, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin

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