Severe cramps, heavy periods may signal endometriosis

The number of endometriosis patients in Korea is growing fast, probably because of frequent intake of fast food and irregular life patterns, doctors said.The disease involves the presence and growth of functioning endometrial tissue in places other than the uterus, often resulting in severe pain and infertility. According to the Health Insurance and Assessment Service, the number of patients diagnosed with the disease and receiving treatment surged more than 50 percent from 53,000 in 2008 to 80,

Oct. 17, 2013

Keeping your feet healthy

Although the feet are only a small part of your body, they consist of 26 bones, including the phalanges, calcaneus and scaphoid. More than a hundred small muscles and ligaments form a complex network between these bones. The feet are responsible for the load of your body weight. Your feet are also responsible for making you move forward. The average 60-year- old has walked 160,000 kilometers during his or her lifetime, a distance equal to four times the circumference of the earth. Your feet also

Oct. 17, 2013

Leaders discuss global cyber security norms

President Park Geun-hye called for the establishment of international norms and principles to prevent threats against cyber security such as the spreading of malicious code.“With the development of the Internet environment, we see that issues such as leaks of personal information, spam and malicious codes are rising,” Park said in her congratulatory speech at the Seoul Conference on Cyber Space 2013 on Thursday. The international conference opened in Seoul for a two-day run with the attendance o

Oct. 17, 2013

[Photo News] Saving power

Oct. 16, 2013

[Graphic News] Outlook for smartphone sales

Sales of smartphones in the markets of the United States, China and India are expected to soar until 2018, according to a report from Strategy Analytics. But unlike them, Korea’s smartphone market is forecast to turn negative this year due to market saturation.

Oct. 14, 2013

LG to reveal G Flex curved phone soon

LG Electronics, the world’s third-largest smartphone maker, is expected to reveal its first curved-display smartphone, the G Flex, as early as Nov. 11, according to sources on Monday.As revealed by previous leaks, the phone will have a vertical concave ― curved from top to bottom ― unlike the latest Samsung Galaxy Round, which is curved horizontally. The curved OLED display is said to measure 6 inches, and as expected, will utilize IPS technology. The size of the device will be almost as large a

Oct. 14, 2013

Olympus Korea strives to improve workplace

Olympus Korea, the local unit of the Japanese camera and optics manufacturer, is working toward helping employees perfect the balance between their work and home life to improve productivity. “We believe when our employees become happier, their productivity and creativity levels rise in tandem, which is why we place so much emphasis on recharging and self-motivated development,” said Hong Seung-gap, director of Olympus Korea’s human resources strategy department. He added that ultimately, it was

Oct. 11, 2013

Line a breakthrough for Naver?

Internet giant Naver is turning its eyes to the global market with its messenger service Line as the domestic online ad market rapidly nears saturation. The company hopes the seemingly successful operations will bring sufficient profit.On Tuesday, it was announced that Lee Hae-jin, founder of NHN, the parent company of Naver, had resigned from his chief strategy officer post as of January last year, and has since been serving as chairman of Line Corp., the Japanese arm of Naver that operates mes

Oct. 11, 2013

State insurance likely to cover extra cost of semi-private wards

The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Thursday that the government was considering expanding state insurance coverage to patients staying in semi-private wards, which are currently charged premium rates. The plan is intended to relieve the financial burden on patients who are given limited accommodation choices when there are no beds in standard wards.The country’s state health insurance currently covers standard ward accommodation, which is six beds per room. Premium rates are charged for pat

Oct. 10, 2013

Fighting infection while battling cancer

With early diagnosis and effective chemotherapy, the life expectancy of cancer patients is increasing. Therefore, it is also important to take measures to improve their general health, as well as treating cancer effectively. Cancer patients have decreased immunity due to surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which leads to an increased susceptibility to infectious diseases. For example, whereas the incidence of invasive infection caused by streptococcal pneumonia is 11 per 100,000 people, the

Oct. 10, 2013

Seoul criticizes U.S. over ban on some Samsung mobile devices

The Korean government expressed disappointment Wednesday with U.S. President Barack Obama’s decision not to veto an import ban on some mobile products of Samsung Electronics.“It is regrettable that the U.S. government made different decisions related to patent infringement in a situation where Samsung and Apple are globally competing in the mobile telecommunications sector,” the Trade, Industry and Energy Ministry said in a press release.The ministry was referring to Obama’s August decision to r

Oct. 9, 2013