Almost 40 percent of elderly dementia patients in Seoul are being supported and taken care of by their spouses, according to the municipal government.Of the 360 dementia patients who were surveyed last year from June to August, 39 percent were being looked after by their wives or husbands, while 23.6 were cared for by their daughters. Almost 15 percent were supported by their sons, while 12.9 percent were assisted by their daughters-in-law. Among all caretakers, 55 percent said they are supporti

The National Health Insurance Service recorded a 4.6 trillion won ($4.1 billion) surplus in 2014, with its annual revenue climbing 7.4 percent from the previous year to reach 48.5 trillion won.Some of the reasons for the increased revenue include a rise in the number of cancer patients who were diagnosed at an early stage through health examinations, and a significant decrease in the number of patients suffering from respiratory diseases.Yellow dust storms ― influxes of dusty air mostly originat

South Korea’s increasing number of delayed marriages is one of the biggest factors behind the country’s low birth rate, a report has shown.According to Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, the out-of-wedlock birth rate in South Korea in 2010 was 2.1 percent, which was dramatically lower than the rate in countries such as Ireland and Norway. Norway’s out-of-wedlock fertility rate was 55 percent, while Ireland’s was 64.1 percent in the same year. Meanwhile, Japan’s rate was 2.2 percent.

South Korean women with graduate degrees have much lower marriage prospects than those with undergraduate degrees only, according to a report by Korea University.The study, involving 524 individuals from different social and economic backgrounds, began in 2000 and lasted for 10 years. All of the participants were single in 2000.According to the study, women with either master’s or doctorate degrees were 58.3 percent less likely to marry than those who only had undergraduate degrees.Also, women w

The number of children aged 13 and under who sought help for domestic violence increased dramatically in 2014 from the year before, according to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.According to the ministry, the number of children who visited the state-run Sunflower Center ― a shelter for women and children with 34 branches nationwide ― for domestic violence increased by 131.7 percent last year from 2013.Also, children accounted for 10.7 percent of a total of 5,571 domestic violence victi

An award-winning public school teacher was sentenced to a fine of 3 million won ($2,735) for making discriminatory remarks against a sixth grade multicultural student in the classroom last year. The female student, whose father is Canadian and mother is Korean, was scolded by the teacher for not eating kimchi in her school in Suwon last June. The 50-year-old teacher asked her why she wouldn’t eat kimchi when “she is half-Korean,” and stated that her future (Korean) mother-in-law would not like i

A local court on Friday dismissed a Japanese reporter’s request to suspend an overseas travel ban imposed on him by the Justice Ministry.The Sankei Shimbun’s former Seoul bureau chief, Tatsuya Kato, had been indicted for defaming President Park Geun-hye in a story, citing rumors in the stock brokerage industry.The Japanese newspaper, in its Aug. 3 online edition, alleged that Park had been outside the presidential office at the time the Sewol ferry capsized, with a man seen to be one of her key

A zookeeper was mauled to death by a lion on Thursday at Children’s Grand Park in Neung-dong, Seoul.The victim, only identified by his surname Kim, was reportedly attacked by the lion after entering its area to hand it a toy. The lion enclosure contained a 10-year-old male as well as a 6-year-old female. It is not clear whether Kim was attacked by both of the animals or just one. He was alone with the lions when the attack occurred.The 53-year-old was discovered by a colleague on Thursday aftern

The South Korean government is establishing a special support center for foreigners who seek medical treatment in the country by next year.The institution will offer translation services as well as legal advice should a foreign patient get into a medical dispute with local health care providers.Physicians and surgeons who work at clinics or hospitals that specialize in treating foreign patients will also be encouraged to be insured against malpractice.The Health Ministry may give out incentives

At least two people were killed and more than 60 injured on Wednesday after a pileup involving more than 100 vehicles on a bridge near Incheon International Airport. At least eight are seriously injured, according to the police. The pileup occurred at 9:34 a.m. on the Seoul-bound lanes of the Yeongjong Bridge that connects Incheon’s Yeongjong Island ― where the nation’s main airport is located ― to the mainland.Police said the pileup was triggered after an airport limousine bus rear-ended the pa

Following a number of controversial medical accidents in the nation’s plastic surgery sector, the government is tightening safety measures to protect patients. The Health Ministry will require all clinics that perform surgeries involving general anesthesia to be fully equipped with emergency medical supplies including a pulse oximeter and a ventilator as well as uninterrupted power supply.The ministry is also set to ban plastic surgery advertisements that do not properly inform patients of possi

The social cost of treating medical illnesses and injuries totaled 120.65 trillion won ($110.12 billion) in South Korea in 2012, a report showed Tuesday.At 8.8 percent of the GDP in the same year, it showed an increase of 24.2 percent from 2008.Injuries and addictions, including alcoholism, cost the most ― 19.54 trillion won ― among all medical conditions. They made up 16.2 percent of the total cost in 2012. Suicides and attempted suicides, on the other hand, were the most common cases in the ca

With measles outbreaks being reported in parts of the U.S. and other regions across the world, health officials in South Korea recommended overseas travelers make sure their vaccinations are up to date. According to the nation’s Health Ministry, more than 95 percent of measles patients in Korea last year were infected during an overseas trips, or by those who had traveled abroad.The number of measles patients in Korea quadrupled from 107 in 2013 to 442 last year. Many were infected in China or t

The Seoul Metropolitan Government vowed on Monday to reduce CO2 emissions by 10 million tons by 2020. Its plan consists in engaging 10 million Seoul citizens to take individual actions, including purchasing “green electricity” ― solar and wind power ― recycling and taking public transport.“If a single Seoul citizen can reduce 1 ton of CO2, together we can reduce 10 million tons of CO2 emissions,” said Yoon Young-cheol from the city government in a statement.A report last year from the Internatio

More than 90 percent of Koreans treated for bulimia nervosa in 2013 were women, and about 70 percent of them were in their 20s and 30s, a report showed.The statistics may be linked with the country’s strong emphasis on young women’s personal appearance, said psychiatrist Lee Seon-gu from the National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital.“Women in their 20s tend to be stressed the most about getting a job and getting married, and they are often pressured by society to look attractive and stay

Prime Minister nominee Rep. Lee Wan-koo has come under fire for allegedly abusing his power over the media to withhold unfavorable stories about him. The latest controversy follows a series of other allegations including academic plagiarism and real estate speculation. His confirmation hearings, initially scheduled on Monday and Tuesday, were postponed by a day amid the intensifying controversy. Lee, who served as the floor leader of the ruling Saenuri Party until his nomination last month, has

More Korean women working in the nation’s private sector experience career disruption than those in the public sector, a public think tank reported Sunday.While only 7.8 percent of those who work in the public sector said they experienced career disruptions, 24.7 percent of those who work in the private sector said they had to quit their jobs during or after pregnancy.The report, written and released by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, surveyed 1,000 working women aged 25-39 wh

President Park Geun-hye on Friday called for measures to tackle the country’s critically low fertility rate and aging population, which are considered some of the biggest threats to the economy. President Park Geun-hye addresses the members of the committee on aging society and low birthrate at Cheong Wa Dae on Friday. (Yonhap)South Korea’s birthrate stood at 1.18 children per woman last year ― the lowest among the OECD member countries. Almost 15 percent of the country’s population will be 65 o

A major medical condition closely related to one’s biorhythm is bipolar disorder. The disease is characterized by repeated episodes of depression and manic periods. Compared to the manic phase, when the person is very active, in a good mood and full of confidence, the depressive phase tends to last for longer periods. Of course, the depressive period is more difficult for the patient to go through. The main symptoms of depression include decreased levels of enjoyment of activities, poor appetite

While some might assume that summer is the most difficult season for the diabetic foot ― people tend to walk barefoot, which increases the chance of injuries ― it is in fact the winter months that are the most dangerous for patients with diabetes. Health experts say people with diabetes must take special care of their feet during the winter to avoid infection and injury. (TNS)Health experts say people with diabetes must take special care of their feet during the winter to avoid foot infection an