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Sat, May 27, 2017 | 20:51

National > Diseases & welfare >

Holt criticized for 'irresponsible' funeral for ill-fated adoptee

Holt Children’s Services in Korea is under the fury of the Korean adoptee community, instigated by the funeral they hosted for Phillip Clay - a deported Korean adoptee - held Tuesday and Wednesday. The remarks made by their chairwoman, Molly Holt, on Clay are at the height of the criticism; adoptees have described her comments as “insensitive” and “irresponsible,” and they hi...

Diseases & welfare | 2017-05-25 18:31

A sad ending for deported adoptee

1 in 7 adolescents addicted to internet or smartphone

One in seven adolescents is addicted either to the internet or their smartphone, according to a recent survey. The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family’s survey on 1.41 million adolescents across the country showed 14.3 percent were categorized as “at risk” or “in need of caution” regarding their internet and smartphone use. The “at risk” group is defined as showing serious difficulty in their daily life without the internet or a smartphone to the extent that they need help from experts. The caution group is defined as people having difficulty in controlling use.

Diseases & welfare | 2017-05-25 16:01

Lifeguards to be posted across Korea

According to the Ministry of Public Safety and Security, 13,751 lifeguards will be posted at 5,490 beaches, valleys and swimming pools beginning this month for safety supervision as many people are getting ready for their summer vacations.

Diseases & welfare | 2017-05-22 16:59

Korean adoptee finding families for more children

A Korean adoptee wants to make international adoption a more viable option for orphans. Every year, Susan Soon-keum Cox visits Korea to change negative perspectives about the adoption practice and push policymakers to ease regulations that make the work of adoption agencies extremely difficult. A couple from Oregon adopted Cox in 1956. She was among the first Koreans to be ad...

Diseases & welfare | 2017-05-22 15:58

Revised health law to protect patients' human rights

The government has strengthened criteria on the involuntary commitment of psychiatric patients to better protect their rights. The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Sunday the Korean Mental Health Act will take effect on May 30. The revised law seeks to halt the decades-old practice under which patients could be placed in mental institutions against their will. The law allowing that went into effect in 1995. Under the revised law, a doctor can order an involuntary commitment of a suspected patient for only up to 14 days for further diagnosis with the consent of the patient’s legal guardian...

Diseases & welfare | 2017-05-21 17:06

Pesticide ban helps Korea lower suicide rate: WHO

Korea’s suicide rate is high but it has reached a meaningful achievement since 2011 thanks to a pesticide ban, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). According to the WHO’s World Health Statistics, Korea canceled the re-registration of paraquat in 2011 and banned its sale in 2012. These actions resulted in an immediate and clear decline in pesticide-poisoning suici...

Diseases & welfare | 2017-05-19 18:15

Police develop Victim Trauma Scale

Police have developed a scale to measure the trauma level of victims of crime, and distributed it to stations nationwide. Police personnel who provide psychological assistance to victims developed the Victim Trauma Scale. It is comprised of 23 statements such as “I am constantly reminded of memories related to the incident,” “It is difficult to visit places similar to the crime scene” or “I keep having nightmares.” The scale measures symptoms to determine whether the victim is experiencing acute stress disorder.

Diseases & welfare | 2017-05-16 16:39

Future of Traditional Korean Medicine depends on 'scientization' and standardization

A Chinese scientist winning the first Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2015 came as a shock to the world. Professor Youyou Tu of the China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine was awarded the Nobel Prize for her achievement of extracting a malaria-fighting compound, artemisinin, from Artemisia annua (sweet wormwood). Such a feat is an important testament to the fac...

Diseases & welfare | 2017-05-07 17:16

Candidates vow better pension for old voters

Korea is an aging society. Almost a quarter of its eligible voters are 60 or older. They are vulnerable because of deteriorating health and social support that falls short of their needs. All five major presidential candidates offered generous welfare packages targeting the elderly population. The most controversial issue is the amount of basic senior pension given to those 65 years or older. Currently, it’s 206,050 won per month and anyone whose income is not in the top 30 percent is eligible.

Diseases & welfare | 2017-05-01 17:32

Parents to receive monthly allowance for childcare

No matter who becomes the next president, parents will start receiving a monthly allowance for childcare. The amounts and beneficiaries will differ depending on which of the five leading candidates wins the presidential election. Moon Jae-in of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), the frontrunner in the race, has promised to give 100,000 won per month for children up to five ...

Diseases & welfare | 2017-04-30 17:27

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Park's impeachment