Its international clinic aims to be the top in world for expertise, servicesThis article the first part of a series of articles on international clinics for foreigners at medical centers in Korea. ― Ed.Samsung Medical Center’s international clinic has been praised for its latest medical techniques and for having some of the most sophisticated services. Located on the second floor of the annex buil

Seoul will call for the Japanese government to provide a safety certificate for food products manufactured from 13 regions near the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant, the Korea Food and Drug Administration said Thursday. The measure will be put into practice in May, officials said. The affected regions, including Tokyo and the prefectures of Miyagi, Yamagata, Niigata, Saitama, Kanagawa and Sh

Criticism is mounting over the government’s plan to pour another 20 trillion won ($19 billion) into redeveloping more than 3,000 tributaries of the country’s four major rivers. While the announcement was perceived by opposition lawmakers and environmentalists as an admission of failure of the original 22.2 trillion won four-river refurbishment plan, some expressed concerns over how to finance the

District displays advanced capabilities at Medical Korea 2011 exhibitionThis is the second of a three-part series on medical tourism in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul. ― Ed. On Wednesday morning, people from various countries bustled into the COEX Hall in southern Seoul for Medical Korea 2011, the largest convention-exhibition dedicated to boosting medical tourism here. From giant hospitals such as Se

CHICAGO (AP) ― Physicians may choose riskier treatment for themselves than they’d recommend for their patients, according to a study that highlights a need for candid discussions about patients’ preferences.The findings are important because patients faced with difficult medical decisions often ask their doctors, “What would you do?” The answer reflects the doctors’ values ― not necessarily those

Red No. 40 and other artificial dyes have increasingly become scarlet letters (and numbers) to parents who read food labels. Some believe that these common food, drug and cosmetic dyes can exacerbate behavioral disorders in children, as well as possibly contribute to allergies and cancers.The FDA, after long stating that no scientific evidence conclusively links the petroleum-based colorants to hy

WASHINGTON (AP) ― It’s that time of year when the bugs emerge to bug us.Some can pose real threats ― Lyme disease from tiny ticks, West Nile virus from mosquitoes, or life-threatening allergic reactions to bee stings. But most bug bites in this country are an itchy nuisance.How itchy or big the welt depends in part on your own skin, how much of the chemical histamine it harbors. Yes, some people r

We all encounter numerous stressors in everyday life. Stress refers to our emotional and physical state as a final product from interplay between life stressors and the self. Stress is known to be an important factor in the development of many diseases, such as cancer, stroke, heart disease, functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, rheumatic disease, pain disorder, etc. Many factors, such a

International health care center aims to make patients feel at homeThis is the third in a series of articles on international clinics at major medical centers in Seoul. ― Ed.Soon Chun Hyang University Hospital in Hannam-dong, central Seoul, made international headlines last month when its doctors successfully performed gastric resection on two severely obese women from New ZealandMaking the proced

The government is considering establishing Korean language institutes in foreign countries that send workers to Korea through the employment permit system.The institutes would introduce Korean culture and language to permit workers, the Ministry of Employment and Labor said Tuesday. Further details have yet to be drawn up but the administration is reportedly looking to set up the language institut

Police have dug out more than 8 billion won ($7.1 million) in cash from the soil of a garlic farm owned by an unemployed man in Gimje, North Jeolla Province, officials said Monday. The money is believed to be part of a slush fund raised by running an illegal gambling website, the officials said, adding the total amount of the illegal fund reached 11 billion won. According to the investigators, the

Downloading discount coupons from social commerce business websites for medical treatments is a violation of the Medical Law, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said Monday. However, it is not illegal for hospitals or medical facilities to offer price cuts directly to patients on services not covered by insurance, it said. The conclusion was reached upon request from Seoul Metropolitan Government,

KAIST president Suh Nam-pyo is to face questioning at the National Assembly and a board meeting over the suicides cases of four of his students, who have reportedly been under enormous stress stemming from his policies. While the 74-year-old former MIT professor defends his rules as a necessary procedure to improve the overall competitiveness of the school, calls for his resignation are mounting w

Leprosy treatment facility on Sorok Island gets new lease of lifeSOROK ISLAND, South Jeolla Province ― Just decades ago, Hansen’s disease, more commonly known as leprosy, was considered a curse from nature, subject to prejudice and discrimination. The disease is now almost eliminated from the country and is controllable with proper medication and nutrition. Although there are 13,300 people nationw

More than half of Koreans still believe penicillin can treat coldsThere was a time when antibiotics were used as “magic drugs” to cure any illness or disorder. From treatments for small inflammations to coughing, people wanted antibiotics.But antimicrobials are often associated with various side effects and invite resistance ― some diseases such as multidrug-resistant tuberculosis are now untreata

One out of every three adults here is under a serious level of stress, a group of doctors said Thursday. Workplaces and financial issues were the main causes of stress, the Korean NeuroPsychiatric Association said. According to its survey conducted of 1,006 people over 19 years old nationwide, about 23.9 percent said they were under some level of stress while 26.2 percent said the pressure was sev

Jerry is a 39-year-old air force pilot whose exceptional agility and speed in maneuvering fighter planes earned him the nickname “Smokin’ Jeeves.” Over the last three months, however, Jerry noticed it was increasingly difficult to achieve the same degree of high performance during his routine physical training exercises. More recently, he felt as though “his heart was beating out of his chest” aft

CHICAGO (AP) ― Soaring numbers of kids are getting CT scans in emergency rooms, a study found, raising concerns some may be exposed to adult-sized radiation doses and potential risks for cancer down the road.The number of ER visits nationwide in which children were given CT scans surged from about 330,000 in 1995 to 1.65 million in 2008 ― a fivefold increase. The number of kids’ ER visits didn’t i

This is the second in a series of articles on international clinics at major medical centers in Seoul. ― Ed.Severance Hospital’s international health care center is the oldest medical facility dedicated to foreign patients in Korea.Established in 1962, the clinic has looked after tens of thousands of foreigners residing in Korea. Recently, it has expanded its care to foreigners outside the country

Number of seniors tops 1m in SeoulBy Bae Ji-sookThe number of people in Seoul older than 65 has surpassed 1 million, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Wednesday. The number of infants and youths, on the other hand, declined. According to its report, the number of senior citizens marked 1,002,770 as of Dec. 31 last year, a 6.3 percent jump from the previous year’s 942,946. Over-65s now make up