Occupational Medicine 2008 58(7):515; doi:10.1093/occmed/kqn074
© The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org
Occupational medicine in Korea
Yangho Kim
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, #290-3 Cheonha-Dong, Dong-Ku, Ulsan 682-060, South Korea
e-mail: yanghokm{at}nuri.net
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What work takes place in Korea?
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South Korea achieved very rapid economic development between
the 1960s and 1990s, with a focus on manufacturing, during which
time primary industry strikingly dwindled. Recently, Korea's
economy has begun to change from one that is manufacturing based
to an economy that is essentially service based. In the last
20 years, small businesses have greatly increased in number
and the proportions of working females and aged workers have
increased to 49 and 27% of the total workforce, respectively.
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What are the key occupational diseases?
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Traditional occupational diseases such as chemical intoxication,
noise-induced hearing loss and pneumoconiosis were the main
compensated occupational diseases until the mid-1990s. However,
work-related musculoskeletal disorders have recently become
prominent and comprise about half of all compensated occupational
diseases at the present time. Korea's workers’ compensation
law covers a wide range of work-related cerebrovascular and
cardiovascular diseases, which form one-third of compensated
occupational diseases, contrary to what is seen in other countries.
Mental health problems and asbestos-related diseases are not
major work-related health problems at present.
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How is occupational health provided?
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The Industrial Safety and Health Act mandates that employers
conduct periodic occupational medical examinations and carry
out workplace environmental measurement, and provide health
management services. These are the three principal components
of occupational health services in Korea. However, these occupational
health services are provided mainly by private occupational
health service institutions outside the workplace; very few
workplaces have their own services. Occupational medical examinations
for workers exposed to any of 177 nominated potential work hazards
must be provided within paid working hours at the employers’
expense.
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Who provides the services?
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There are
500 certified occupational medicine specialists in
South Korea. Industrial hygienists in certified private occupational
health service institutions provide workplace environmental
measurement. Health management services in workplaces are provided
by physicians, industrial hygienists or nurses either employed
by the companies or by the certified private occupational health
service institutions.
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How is occupational health represented?
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The Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
has almost 840 members including occupational medicine specialists
and trainees. The organization provides training and organizes
scientific meetings. There is also the Korean Society of Occupational
and Environmental Hygiene, representing 300 industrial hygienists.
Occupational health nurses are represented by the Korean Association
of Occupational Health Nurses.
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What legislation does Korea have that impacts on the provision of occupational health?
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The Industrial Safety and Health Act was separated from the
Labour Standards Act in 1981 to secure the safety and health
of workers and to improve working conditions and work environments.
The law was sweepingly revised in 1990 and has been amended
several times since then to expand workers’ rights to
know and to participate. The Ministry of Labor of the central
government takes overall charge of workers’ safety and
health, and regional labor offices are responsible for enforcing
compliance with the legislation.
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What about research and education?
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The Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA), a government-sponsored
agency established in 1987, provides major education programs
and conducts research on occupational health. Schools of Public
Health have occupational health education programs for postgraduate
students. Occupational medicine specialist certification programs
require 4 years of resident training in designated training
hospitals.
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What has Korea contributed to the advancement of the specialty?
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Korea has but a brief history of occupational health as a science
and practice. However, in 1996, Korean researchers achieved
a world first when they reported a novel reproductive disorder
caused by a new solvent, 2-bromopropane. Korean researchers
have recently led manganese neurotoxicity-related research in
welders. Furthermore, Korea has developed a unique occupational
health service model to cope with various occupational health
issues arising in the process of rapid industrialization over
a very short period.
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