Overall view of occupational health services in Korea

Abstract

Occupational health services in Korea can be largely divided into periodic health examination for workers, group health care system for workers in small and medium size industries, and workplace environment measurement. Periodic health examination is composed of general and special health examination. General health examination is performed once every two years for office workers and once every year for production workers. The expenses of medical examination are covered by public medical insurance program. Special health examination is performed on workers who dealt with hazardous agents with variable durations. The employer pays the expense of special health examination. Group health care system has been established for small and medium sized industries exempt for assignment of full-time health managers (physician, nurse, hygienist). It entrusts the role of health managers to occupational health organization or clinic. Especially, entrust fee of small sized industries are paid by government. The levels of hazardous agents are measured in all workplace environment. If the measured level exceeds the permissible exposure level, the employer is enforced to improve the workplace environment with their own expense. In 1997, 684,000 workers received periodic health examination and 2,400 workers were found with occupational diseases.