Health ministry expresses hope for talks with new doctors' group head

South Korea's health ministry on Thursday expressed hope for engaging in talks with the new head of the country's top doctors' lobby group amid a prolonged deadlock over medical reform. Second Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo made the remark during a government meeting, following the election of Kim Taek-woo as the new head of the Korean Medical Association the previous day. Kim has been vocal in his hawkish stance against increasing the medical school quota. "We hope to hold face-to-face talks

Jan. 9, 2025

[Graphic News] Number of influenza patients surge 136%

The number of influenza patients is rapidly increasing, particularly among adolescents, marking the largest outbreak since 2016. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the influenza-like illness, or ILI, rate — a measure of suspected flu patients among 1,000 outpatients at 300 sample monitoring medical institutions nationwide — surged to 73.9 between Dec. 22 and 28 last year. The figure reflects a dramatic 136 percent rise from the previous week’s rate of 31.3 per 1,000 pe

Jan. 6, 2025

South Korea reports new avian influenza case at regional farm

South Korea has confirmed its 14th case of highly pathogenic avian influenza for the season at a farm near the capital city of Seoul, authorities said Sunday. The latest case was detected at a poultry farm in Hwaseong, just south of Seoul, which is raising 202 chickens and 67 wild geese, according to the agriculture ministry. To prevent further the spread, officials have taken measures to control access to the farm to carry out investigations, and culled the affected chickens and wild geese. The

Dec. 22, 2024

Perceptions of health linked to education, parenthood, economic level: study

South Koreans with higher education, income and no children are more likely to perceive themselves as healthier than their peers, according to the Korea Health Promotion Institute’s recent survey. The survey of 2000 adults aged 19-70, found that 39.4 percent of respondents with a university degree or higher considered themselves healthier than others their age, compared to 29.5 percent of those with a high school diploma or less. Similarly, 38.5 percent of economically active respondents r

Dec. 1, 2024

[Health and care] Getting cancer young: Why cancer isn’t just an older person’s battle

Cancer was a journey Kang Min-ji never thought she would take during her early 30s. She was physically active, a non-smoker and didn't drink that often. But her world shattered in July 2022 after she was found to have thyroid cancer and a brain tumor when she underwent a health checkup. "Little did I know that I would have cancer because I was young and had a relatively healthy lifestyle, although I did have an exhausting work pattern where I stayed up until late at night and early mor

Nov. 26, 2024

Teen smoking, drinking decline, while mental health, dietary habits worsen

A recent state-conducted health survey revealed a significant drop in smoking and alcohol consumption among South Korean teenagers over the past 20 years, but other negative trends in mental health and dietary habits are emerging. The Ministry of Education and Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency revealed Friday that the “current smoking rate,” -- measuring students who smoked at least once in the past month -- dropped from 11.8 percent in 2005 to 3.6 percent this year. Simi

Nov. 22, 2024

Concerns rise over unchecked prescriptions of Wegovy

Concerns are rising over Wegovy being available at pharmacies without proper prescription, as some people are grappling with side effects. Wegovy is a popular weight-loss drug known to be used by celebrities like Elon Musk and Rebel Wilson. Recently, users of the weight-loss injection have taken to social media to share their reviews of Wegovy, with many of them experiencing headaches, itching and skin rashes due to allergic reactions, as well as stomach issues. "The most unpleasant side ef

Nov. 21, 2024

Korean study finds 'obese' BMI may actually be healthiest

In South Korea, a body mass index over 25 is considered "obese," but recent research suggests the healthiest range may actually be higher than that. Health experts are now urging that the threshold be raised to 27. Oh Sang-woo, a family medicine professor at Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, recommended raising Korea's obesity threshold to a BMI of 27, noting that the current classification may not currently be ideal. "Research conducted 20 years ago found that the lowest

Nov. 12, 2024

As Suneung nears, 'magic pills' lure test takers, but experts warn of risks

With only a week left before the national Suneung college admissions exam, some test takers and their parents are reaching out for additional assistance to manage test anxiety jitters: pills that make them brainier. Lee, an 18-year-old third-grade high school student who attends a private school in Incheon's Songdo district, is one of them. "I heard that the anxiety-soothing pills and traditional Korean medicine like 'cheongsimhwan' could ease test anxiety symptoms such as ra

Nov. 6, 2024

Stroke patients in Korea show more history of smoking, diabetes: report

Diabetes and smoking are common causes of strokes, which can damage blood vessels and cause death, and stroke patients in South Korea have a higher rate of both stroke factors compared to Western countries, a study showed Monday, suggesting a need to strengthen prevention efforts to improve public health outcomes. According to an analysis of stroke treatment patterns in the country for 2021 by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's National Institute of Health, 35 percent of st

Oct. 28, 2024

Low-income patients less likely to survive cancer: study

Low-income patients are less likely to survive any type of cancer, as they have a lower prevalence of cancer screening than wealthier patients, data showed Wednesday. The five-year survival rate for stomach cancer patients receiving medical aid was 22.7 percent lower than for patients covered by health insurance, 20.4 percent lower for colorectal cancer, 27.2 percent lower for liver cancer, 13.5 percent lower for breast cancer and 16.6 percent lower for cervical cancer. The data was presented

Oct. 23, 2024

Side effects of growth hormone injections surge

The side effects of growth hormone injections, which are being used to increase the height of children, are on the rise, according to government data Thursday, in line with the increase in the number of adolescents receiving the injections. A total of 124,997 individuals aged 19 and under received growth hormone shots in the first half of this year, following 247,541 in the full year of 2023 and 190,001 in 2022, reflecting parents' passion for making their children grow taller. The figures

Oct. 10, 2024

Patients opting to die with dignity on steady rise

The number of terminally ill patients in South Korea choosing to discontinue life-sustaining medical treatment has been steadily rising, surpassing 70,000 cases last year alone. According to data provided by Rep. Kim Mi-ae of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee, 77,720 patients chose to withdraw from life-prolonging medical interventions in 2023, reflecting a 46.6 percent increase over the past five years. The trend has shown consistent growth, with the number of patients o

Oct. 9, 2024

'Smart pill'? ADHD treatment prescriptions spike this year

Known as the "smart pill," or "study pill" in South Korea, the number of patients prescribed methylphenidate, an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder treatment, has seen a dramatic increase in the first half of this year, a new report found. According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the number of people prescribed this ADHD treatment during the first half of this year -- some 257,000 -- reaches nearly the same number of prescriptions for the drug made all of last

Oct. 1, 2024

Korean hospitals get cancer recognition, but Seoul dominates

Hospitals in South Korea, recognized among the world's best, are predominantly concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area, showing a significant disparity in healthcare accessibility and quality between the capital area and the rest. According to Newsweek's World's Best Specialized Hospitals 2025 rankings, seven South Korean medical institutions have secured spots in the top 100 for cancer treatment or oncology, which is a subspecialty of medicine dedicated to the investigation,

Sept. 19, 2024