
Korea Medical Institute honored for advancing global health care
The Korea Medical Institute, or KMI, one of the country's leading medical checkup providers, announced Wednesday that it received a commendation from the Ministry of Health and Welfare during the Medical Korea 2025 event on March 22.
The Global Healthcare Merit Award honors individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to expanding Korean medical services, attracting international patients, training foreign medical professionals, and enhancing Korea's global medical reputation.
In celebration of its 40th anniversary, KMI was recognized for its efforts in promoting Korea's medical checkup system abroad and improving international health care services through its extensive global network.
KMI also participated in the Korea Health Industry Development Institute's medical overseas expansion project in 2024 and successfully established a Korean-style medical checkup center in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
'It is a great honor to be recognized for our contribution to the advancement of global health care on behalf of Korea's checkup institutions,' said KMI Chairman Lee Kwang-bae.
'We will continue to build trust with our global patients and promote the excellence of Korea's medical checkup system worldwide.'
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Korea Herald
4 days ago
- Korea Herald
What Lee pledged to do as president
Global economic power Lee Jae-myung, who claimed victory with the highest number of votes in South Korea's history, pledged to transform the country into a top-tier economic powerhouse by heavily investing in future industries, particularly artificial intelligence and cultural exports. He plans to boost national AI competitiveness by providing infrastructure such as data centers, increased public-private funding and regulatory reforms. He said he would work to support Korea's content industries and those related to arts and culture, which he said could generate a total of 300 trillion won ($218 billion) in sales annually and 50 trillion won in exports by 2030. Key industries, including defense and strategic technology, will see tax incentives and targeted research and development, while food tech and green bio innovations will reshape agriculture into a smart and sustainable sector. Strengthening democracy Lee promised robust reforms to restore democratic order after the December 2024 martial law crisis. These include reinforcing civilian control over military powers, reducing the president's martial law authority and ending political retaliation practices. He aims to improve transparency in institutions such as the National Human Rights Commission and the Board of Audit. Judiciary and prosecution reforms include separating investigative and prosecutorial powers, expanding public legal access and introducing faster, more open trials. A key goal is to build an accountable, rights-respecting democracy anchored in public trust, he said. Revitalizing households Lee's third pledge focuses on easing household debt, supporting small business recovery and building a fair economic system. He proposed comprehensive debt restructuring for those affected by COVID-19 and martial law, as well as expanded financial support for small merchants. Measures include rent transparency, fee reductions, and local economic revitalization through digital and regional support. Lee also aims to curb predatory lending, reform housing policies to reduce rental fraud and burdens, regulate platform economy commissions and improve financial consumer protection. Corporate reform will target unfair practices, market manipulation and ensure shareholder rights. Practical foreign, security policy Lee vowed to pursue pragmatic diplomacy tailored to changing global dynamics. His administration will strengthen economic security, diversify trade and diplomatic ties —especially with the G20 and EU — and reform export strategies. Inter-Korean peace efforts will resume, with an emphasis on denuclearization and military tension reduction. Lee supports maintaining a strong US alliance while advocating for wartime operational control return. Additional policies include climate diplomacy, diaspora protection and supply chain safeguards. A broader diplomatic footprint will be realized through the upcoming APEC event in Gyeongju, strengthening ties with major countries in economic security. National safety and public health To ensure public safety, Lee proposed strengthening crime prevention, disaster response and medical access. Measures include cracking down on violent crime, expanding victim protection, and improving traffic, construction and aviation safety. On health care, Lee aims to resolve medical service gaps through better compensation, workforce expansion and a nationalized emergency response system. He supports telemedicine and improved care access for older adults and vulnerable individuals. A public dialogue-based health reform committee is suggested to address system sustainability and reduce insurance burdens, while reinforcing public trust in medical institutions. Sejong, regional empowerment Lee pledges to complete Sejong's status as the administrative capital by building a National Assembly annex and presidential office in the city, which is about 110 kilometers south of Seoul. Lee said he would push for the complete relocation of these institutions in the long term and make Sejong the nation's official capital. He will decentralize national growth through the '5 Megaregions and 3 Special Autonomous Provinces' strategy, boosting infrastructure and local autonomy. The plan includes expanding regional rail networks, encouraging strategic industries in each region and easing dominance focused on capital-region universities. A labor-respecting society Lee commits to building a society where all workers' rights are protected, whether regular employees, freelancers or platform laborers. Legislative changes will guarantee union rights for subcontractors and improve wage fairness via an earnings distribution system. Occupational safety, particularly for high-risk jobs, will be a priority, along with broader workers' compensation coverage. Gender equality in public institutions and reduced working hours to 4.5 working days a week are also on the agenda. Rights of workers in cultural sectors and disability access laws will be reinforced to foster an inclusive, fair labor environment that values human dignity. A country where all generations thrive To ensure a dignified life across all generations, Lee pledged to expand income support systems, ease living costs and strengthen welfare. He said he will raise the child funding age to 18, expand housing and tax benefits, and increase access to caregiving services, especially for the elderly and people with disabilities. Educational equity will be pursued through stronger public schooling and reduced private tutoring reliance. For youth, housing aid, job training and savings programs will be expanded. Measures for rural, single-person and single-parent households also aim to create a more equitable and secure society. Overcoming low birthrate, aging To tackle Korea's demographic crisis, Lee proposed boosting birth rates and care for older adults through targeted welfare. Policies include increased child care tax credits, subsidies for extracurricular activities and special housing for newlyweds. He promised that public day care and after-school programs will be expanded, and disability-inclusive care systems will be established. For aging populations, the government will support senior-friendly housing, improve dementia care and expand community-based medical services He also proposed aligning retirement and pension eligibility through expanding retirement age and reforming the housing and pension system to guarantee income security in the later phase of life. Active climate response Lee pledged aggressive action on climate change through carbon reduction and green energy expansion. South Korea will set ambitious emission targets and revise its Carbon Neutrality Framework Act. He aims to shut down coal plants by 2040, expand solar and wind power, and invest in smart grids and energy highways. Industries will receive support to transition to low-carbon practices, with incentives for clean tech innovation. Other initiatives include green remodeling, EV adoption and eco-friendly agriculture. Biodiversity restoration and plastic reduction will also be prioritized, alongside plans for a 'just transition' in vulnerable communities.


Korea Herald
01-06-2025
- Korea Herald
Can a city cure loneliness? Seoul is spending millions to try
In Seoul, you can call a city hotline at 3 a.m. just to say you feel lonely. You can walk into a 'Maeum (Korean for 'heart') Convenience Store' to eat free ramyeon and talk with someone about the emptiness you've been carrying for months. These are not gimmicks. They are part of a sweeping five-year, 451.3 billion won ($330 million) effort by the Seoul Metropolitan Government to confront a crisis few cities have dared to name outright: loneliness. South Korea is facing a growing epidemic of social isolation, with Seoul at its epicenter. People living alone now make up over 35 percent of all households in the capital. A recent Seoul Institute survey revealed that 62 percent of single-person households reported experiencing loneliness, while 13.6 percent were socially isolated. A separate study by the city in 2023 estimated that approximately 130,000 young people between the ages of 19 and 39 are living in near-total social withdrawal, a phenomenon also discussed under the Japanese-derived term 'hikikomori.' 'Loneliness in Seoul is no longer a private burden,' said Lee Soo-jin, director of the Seoul Isolation Prevention Center, the country's first public agency tasked with identifying and assisting socially withdrawn residents. 'We are witnessing a mental health collapse across age groups. But for many, especially young people and older men, there's simply no obvious place to turn.' Lee has spent the past year building outreach systems that can identify high-risk individuals who are often invisible to the formal social safety net. Her team uses data-sharing agreements with welfare offices, utility companies and delivery services to identify signs of withdrawal, such as uncollected mail or repeated solo food orders. Once flagged, individuals are contacted through phone calls, home visits or digital channels and offered tailored support like counseling, peer mentoring or community group referrals. The city's broader initiatives include a 24-hour support line integrated into the existing 120 Dasan Call Center, a chatbot for those uncomfortable with phone calls, and an online platform called Toktok24 that guides users toward counseling and community programs. Still, scholars and ordinary citizens have questioned whether public policy can meaningfully address a condition as personal and complex as loneliness. 'Loneliness is not the same as being alone,' said Byun Geum-seon, a social welfare professor at Ewha Womans University who co-authored a major 2024 study on youth isolation. 'For some, solitude is freedom. For others, it's suffering. Governments can detect behavior. But the feeling of loneliness must be acknowledged by the person experiencing it.' Byun's study, based on the Seoul Youth Panel Survey of over 5,000 respondents, identified seven distinct profiles of social isolation and loneliness. These ranged from economically disconnected youth to emotionally isolated individuals embedded within family or employment networks. Her research found a strong correlation between loneliness and mental health problems like depression and suicidal thoughts, even among those who weren't socially isolated in the traditional sense. 'In some cases, people are surrounded by others but still feel they cannot speak openly or be seen for who they are,' Byun said. 'This is especially common among young women living alone, and among men who feel they've failed to meet social expectations.' Shin Hye-jin, a 28-year-old graduate student who moved to Seoul from Daegu five years ago, recalled how her first year in the capital felt more isolating than she could have imagined. 'I lived in a goshiwon (a small dorm-like room) near campus. I never met my neighbors. Even in class, no one talked unless we had to, for group projects,' she said. 'There were nights I realized I hadn't heard my own voice for days.' Shin later joined a neighborhood 'Silent Walking' group she found on Danggeun Market, also known as Karrot, a hyperlocal app popular for trading secondhand goods that now hosts thousands of hobby-based social groups. 'It sounds silly, but walking silently next to strangers helped,' she said. 'It felt safe. No one expected anything from me.' Since 2023, participation in Danggeun's neighborhood clubs has increased 20-fold, according to the company. These communities are often low-pressure and centered around shared identities or interests, covering niche topics from ADHD support to bread tasting. For many, they provide more sustainable social bonds than formal city-run programs. Director Lee Soo-jin recognizes the limitations. 'Seoul City knows it cannot manufacture meaningful connections,' she said. 'What we can do is build the scaffolding. We can give people options for what to do when they realize they're struggling.' Part of that scaffolding includes spaces like the Seoul Maeum Convenience Store, a cross between a mental health center and a cafe, where people can drop in anonymously for free meals, information or just a moment of calm. The city is also expanding peer support programs such as "Everyone's Friend," where formerly isolated residents are trained to provide outreach and emotional assistance to others in similar situations. Professor Byun cautioned against a one-size-fits-all model. 'What reduces loneliness is not just connection, but continuity. You need to feel that you matter to someone, and that they will notice if you disappear.' This is why the government's role is less about delivering relationships and more about making them possible. 'If someone walks into one of these city programs and leaves with a phone number or a reason to leave the house again next week, that's a small win that is worth the effort,' said Lee.


Korea Herald
29-05-2025
- Korea Herald
Exposure to secondhand smoke rises after 3-year decline
Seoul Station Square to be designated as no-smoking zone from June The rate of exposure to secondhand smoke in indoor spaces in South Korea rose in 2023 after falling for three consecutive years, according to a report released by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Thursday. Secondhand smok, as defined by the governmental agency, refers to individuals inhaling smoke from someone else's cigarette or e-cigarette. As cigarette smoke contains carcinogenic and other harmful substances, secondhand smoke can contribute to 'early death in non-smokers,' the KDCA said. According to the KDCA, the rate of exposure to secondhand smoke in indoor public spaces and indoor workspaces in 2023 was 8.6 percent and 8 percent, respectively. For both indoor public spaces and workspaces, the exposure rate of secondhand smoke fell from 2020 to 2022. After the exposure rate for indoor workspaces reached 14.1 percent in 2019, it decreased to 10.3 percent in 2020 and 6.3 percent in 2022. For indoor public spaces, the rate was also highest in 2019 at 18.3 percent. Before decreasing to 12 percent in 2020 and 7.4 percent in 2022. The rate for 2023 was 8.6 percent. Although the household exposure rate was relatively low, the KDCA noted that it followed the same trend. While it had recorded up to 4.7 percent in 2019, it had decreased to 2.6 percent in 2022, before rising again to 3 percent in 2023. Ahead of World No Tobacco Day, the Ministry of Health and Welfare stated that it will work to 'support all revisions and implementations of laws related to regulating all types of tobacco, including new kinds such as e-cigarettes.' In relation to the government's stance, Seoul Station Square in Jung-gu, central Seoul, will be designated as a non-smoking zone from June 1. From June, smokers will be required to use the smoking booths located around the Seoul Station Square and those who are caught not abiding by this new rule will be fined up to 100,000 won ($72).