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

Social Affairs April 7, 2011

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

Technology April 7, 2011

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

Social Affairs April 7, 2011

The Ministry of Environment on Tuesday designated Seoul, Jeju and Yeonggwang in South Jeolla Province as “leading cities” in promoting the use of electric vehicles across the country. Local authorities will provide residents with 168 electric vehicles and 251 recharging facilities. Korea plans to put more than 1 million electric cars in use by 2020. In Seoul, where electric buses already operate a

Social Affairs April 5, 2011

Money can’t buy you love but it often makes a relationship go sour.Couple.net, a matchmaking agency, said Tuesday that the number of divorces caused by financial problems has sharply increased in the past decade. In its survey of 4,405 couples divorced between 1990 and 2009, the number of people divorcing because of money problems marked 7.1 percent between 1990 and 1999, but jumped to 12.7 percen

Social Affairs April 5, 2011

A lifestyle of temperance seems to lead to longevity as shown in a recent study that found religious leaders live longer than other professions here. Journalists, on the other hand, with their high-stress lifestyles, binge drinking and chain-smoking habits, live 13 years less than the religious leaders, according to research by professor Kim Jong-in of Wonkwang University.The findings were based o

Social Affairs April 4, 2011

Cremation is rapidly replacing centuries-old burial customs here as eight out of every 10 people surveyed said they would like to be cremated when dead. Being less costly and more environment-friendly, more people are expected to opt for cremation in the future, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said Monday. In a survey of 3,000 adults by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, affilia

Social Affairs April 4, 2011

Minister Chin says that fund will also seek long-term partnership with companiesThe investment of the 340-trillion-won ($300 billion) national pension fund will be diversified into emerging markets, green industries and overseas bonds over the next three years, Health and Welfare Minister Chin Soo-hee announced Friday. Overseas investment will rise to 20 percent of the total from the current 12.6

Social Affairs April 1, 2011

Adult males in Gangwon Province showed the highest smoking and drinking rates while those in the Jeolla provinces stayed the most sober and smoke-free, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday. The more stable a region’s economy, the more likely its residents will refrain from an unhealthy lifestyle, the institute said.According to its research based on data collected fro

Social Affairs April 1, 2011

The Ministry of Employment and Labor will help foreign spouses here find jobs through a set of programs in April. During the month, the candidates can receive subsidies for job training fees up to 3 million won ($2,600) and tailored job consultations. Successful candidates will then be able to work at social enterprises, as care-givers, factory workers and more.The applicants should visit their lo

Social Affairs March 31, 2011

A student of KAIST was found dead Tuesday in a suspected suicide, the third this year at the nation’s top university in science and technology, raising questions about the competitive environment there.According to police, a 25-year-old KAIST senior surnamed Jang was found in a parking lot of an apartment complex in Jamwon-dong, southern Seoul. He appeared to have fallen from the building. He was

Social Affairs March 31, 2011

Wyeth Korea said Wednesday that it has reduced the price of its rheumatism medication, Embrel, by 5 percent.As the Ministry of Health and Welfare has decided to cover 90 percent of the medication fee through the national health insurance, the price of the drug will be set to less than 100,000 won a month, the drug distributor said. Previously, the national health insurance covered 90 percent of th

Technology March 31, 2011