Remodeling of the occupational medical examination program in South Korea

The South Korean government carried out reforms in the occupational medical examination program over a period of 2 years from 1997 to 1998 in a response to the discontent of workers, who had complained that occupational medical examinations were merely ritualistic and unproductive. The purposes of this manuscript are to describe the reason for the remodeling, with a historical review of the existing occupational medical examination program in South Korea, and to discuss the main issues involved in remodeling the program. The existing occupational medical examination program in South Korea was reviewed and criticized. The basic philosophy and the main issues in remodeling South Korea's occupational medical examination program were also discussed. In conclusion, the occupational medical examination program should not be conducted in a uniform manner according to legal regulations, but should be a part of overall occupational health services. Individual workplaces should be given the autonomy to perform medical examinations according to the characteristics of the workplace. An enabling approach based on the participation of labor and management should be taken into consideration.