Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is also known as “Lou Gehrig’s disease,” named after the legendary New York Yankees first baseman who suffered and died from this disease. ALS causes the muscles to become rigid, atrophied and weak due to damage to motor neurons located in the brain and on the side of the spinal cord. Symptoms and progressEarly symptoms of ALS include a lack of strength in the limbs. The weakening of the fingers and ankles causes patients to drop light objects or fall down frequentl

Technology Sept. 11, 2014

The following is the seventh in a series of articles on Japan’s wartime sexual enslavement of Asian women on the occasion of the 61st anniversary of the foundation of The Korea Herald on Aug. 15. ― Ed.Tucked away on a quiet street in Seongsan-dong, Seoul, the Museum of War and Women’s Human Rights is home to memories of victims of Japan’s military slavery during World War II.The museum, which opened in 2012, is filled with images, written texts and video footage related to the victims’ experienc

Social Affairs Sept. 10, 2014

“We apologize, but due to Ebola virus we are not accepting Africans at the moment.”This is what a bar in Itaewon, a popular area for expats and tourists in Seoul, publicly posted in front of its property last month. The statement triggered thousands of angry comments online, both from expats and locals ― especially after the public learned of reports that the bar admitted a white person from South Africa, while banning almost all dark-skinned individuals, regardless of their nationalities.The in

Social Affairs Sept. 4, 2014

Seoul’s birthrate was the lowest among all Korean cities and provinces last year, according to Statistics Korea. According to the state agency, women living in Seoul had given birth to an average of 0.968 children as of last year, making it the only Korean city with a birthrate lower than 1. The agency said one of the reasons behind Seoul’s low birthrate is its large number of working women who put off marriage and childbearing for the sake of their career.Women in Seoul also had the highest ave

Social Affairs Sept. 4, 2014

Children aged 16 or under will be allowed to play online games after midnight if they have their parents’ approval starting next year, the Culture and Gender Equality ministries jointly announced Monday. Under the current law, all Korean teenagers are automatically forced out of online gaming sessions between midnight and 6 a.m. The revision will allow Korean parents to fully engage in their parental rights while giving the local gaming industry a boost, the ministries said.  Gender Equality Min

Social Affairs Sept. 1, 2014

Stepping inside Gangnam-gu Haengbok Convalescence Hospital, it is easy to mistake the property for some kind of leisure resort. There is a sauna, a beauty salon, as well as a cafe on top of its fully equipped physical therapy center. With colorful paintings on the walls and lush trees surrounding the grounds, the hospital has that modern and cozy, “home away from home” ambience.Located in Segok-dong, a relatively quiet area in Seoul’s affluent district of Gangnam, the hospital ― which opened in

Social Affairs Aug. 29, 2014

Management of knee painThe causes of knee pain vary depending on the patient’s age and whether the knee is damaged or not. The symptoms also vary greatly as to the location of the pain and the physical posture that induces the pain depending on the specific cause. Knee pain often results from damage to the ligament, meniscus or cartilage, or due to degenerative arthritis, which is closely related to aging. Some patients complain of knee pain which has nothing to do with the knee structure as it

Technology Aug. 28, 2014

Men are much more prone to osteonecrosis ― a disease resulting from the loss of blood supply to the bones ― than women in South Korea, according to a study organized by the nation’s Health Insurance Service. According to the researchers, Korean men are 1.7 times more likely to develop the disease, which eventually causes the bone to break down, than Korean women. The number of patients with the illness has been on the rise in the country since 2007. While 22,354 were treated for the disease in 2

Technology Aug. 28, 2014

The following is the third in a series of articles on Japan’s wartime sexual enslavement of Asian women on the occasion of the 61st anniversary of the foundation of The Korea Herald on Aug. 15. ― Ed.For Kim Bok-dong and Gil Won-ok, two of some 50 surviving Korean victims of sexual slavery for soldiers during Japanese colonial rule, 2012 was a meaningful year.The two, who had been demanding Japan’s apology and reparations for their forced wartime enslavement ― and still do ― established “The Butt

Social Affairs Aug. 24, 2014

For U.S. lawyer David Linton, last week was a meaningful step toward more involvement with his expertise in South Korea. The 42-year-old was given special naturalized Korean citizenship in gratitude for his ancestor’s contribution to the country’s independence movement during the Japanese colonial rule. A total of 15 other foreign nationals ― also descendants of Korean independence supporters ― became naturalized citizens here on the same day. “It is nice to have that final, closest connection w

Social Affairs Aug. 20, 2014

Low-income earners are more vulnerable to obesity than those in the middle or high-income brackets in South Korea, according to a study organized by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.According to the study, 35.2 percent of the poorest half of the nation’s population was suffering from obesity in 2012, while only 30.5 percent of the country’s wealthiest half were overweight.The study also found that more than one-third of the nation’s adult population was overweight in 2012.According to lawmaker

Social Affairs Aug. 19, 2014

Going to a swimming pool or a beach during summer vacation is quite enjoyable and indispensable. But while swimming, your ears could be affected when unclean water enters.When swimming or taking a shower and water gets into your ear, you feel deafened or you may notice your voice sounding strange. This is a phenomenon caused when water remains between the external auditory canal and eardrum to interfere with the vibration of the eardrum. You stick one of your fingers into your ear or try to wipe

Technology Aug. 14, 2014

The number of patients with tic disorders has been on the rise in Korea for the past five years, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.A tic is an abrupt and repeated movement that can occur in any body part, such as the face, hands, or legs. The uncontrollable making of noises such as sniffing and throat clearing is called a vocal tic.According to the ministry, the number of Korean patients with a tic disorder increased by 7.8 percent, from 16,000 in 2009 to 17,000 last year. More tha

Technology Aug. 14, 2014

A large international study questions the conventional wisdom that most people should cut back on salt, suggesting that the amount most folks consume is okay for heart health ― and too little may be as bad as too much. The findings came under immediate attack by other scientists.Limiting salt is still important for people with high blood pressure ― and in fact, a second study estimates that too much sodium contributes to up to 1.65 million deaths each year. The studies both have strengths and we

Technology Aug. 14, 2014