Have you ever needed to overcome a language barrier while accessing healthcare in Korea? Many of us have, even those who speak Korean somewhat fluently. Language barriers can be challenging but not impossible to navigate. This blog post offers some tips on how to overcome such language barriers that may help.

The post Overcoming Language Barriers in Korean Healthcare: A Practical Guide appeared first on South of Seoul.

Did you know there are several ways to get a wheelchair rental in Korea? If life happens and you find yourself in need of rental medical equipment, whether recovering from an unexpected injury or healing after a procedure, there are several resources you can turn to.

The post Wheelchair Rental in Korea appeared first on South of Seoul.

Learn how to set up your COOV app with these step by step instructions provided by SOS Public Health.

The post How to Set up Your COOV App appeared first on South of Seoul.

Why would I need to have my COVID vaccination certificate printed in English? The vaccination process in South Korea has been picking up speed over the last couple of months, particularly among our expat teacher community. If you completed both doses of the COVID vaccine in South Korea, then you should have received a vaccination certificate similar to the one pictured below. Your vaccination certificate is also available on the COOV app which you have access to if you have a contracted Korean phone number under your name. While you can use this certificate and the COOV app as proof of vaccination within Korea, you CANNOT use it when traveling abroad. Some countries that accept vaccinations completed in Korea require an English version of the certificate. So, how can you get access to your English translated certificate? Read the extremely long and detailed instruction manual below to find out! Listen to the BlogCast Don’t want to read? Listen to the South of Seoul BlogCast which provides accessible content through the use of AI technology. We don’t have time to read each article but we do our best to make more of our content accessible. If you would like to join our Accessibility Team apply to volunteer with South of Seoul. Please note that the pronunciation of some Korean words may be inaccurate due to AI technology’s limitations. Prerequisites for printing your vaccination certificate via the KDCA website The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) allows residents to access their vaccination certificates directly from their website. Through the KDCA website you can view and print the Korean version as well as the English version of your certificate. HOWEVER, in order to access your certificate, there are a two requirements. NOTE: Accessing anything on Korean websites can be a long, confusing, and frustrating process. Getting to your English COVID vaccination certificate on the KDCA website will require some time and patience. Bare with me. I have done my best to lay out each instruction step by step with screenshots for the entire process. If you don’t want to bother with the roller coaster of Korea’s online platform, skip to the bottom of this blog to see another option for obtaining your English COVID vaccination certificate. 1. You must have a Korean phone number associated with your ARC number These days, in Korea, your alien registration card (ARC) number is attached to EVERYTHING, including your Korean phone plan. If your ARC number is not associated with a contracted Korean phone number, accessing anything online can be difficult. Korea’s online security requires a ton of verifications before allowing access to sensitive personal information. So, if you have a phone that is under someone else’s ARC number, then you will not be able to access your certificate through the KDCA’s website. 2. You must have an accredited certificate of authentication aka a digital certificate of authentication aka official ID certificate (공인닝증서 [gong in injeung seo]) This certificate is referred to by many names in English. I will refer to it as a digital certificate. Most folks, like myself, acquire a digital certificate of authentication through their mobile banking app or bank website. Digital certificates via a banking app/site are free, take only a couple of minutes to set up, and must be renewed every year. Some people purchase digital certificates for a small fee. You can learn how to set up a digital certificate here. This digital certificate can be used across different websites that deal with sensitive personal information, like the KDCA website. You will need to make sure to copy and save your digital certificate on the device you wish to use to access the KDCA website. You can copy and save the digital certificate to multiple devices (i.e. cell phone, desktop, USB). If don’t have a digital certificate saved to the device you want to use for the KDCA website, you won’t have access to your vaccination certificate. How to access the English version of your vaccination certificate Once you have a Korean phone number associated with your ARC number and a digital certificate set up, you can start the process for printing your vaccination certificate in English. Just a little warning, this process may get confusing. Take your time, read the instructions below carefully, and you will have your English vaccination certificate in no time. Step 1: Register for an account on the KDCA Website When you click into the website link, you will see a popup screen. Close this screen. In the top right-hand corner of the screen, you will see a black button that reads 회원가입. Click this button (see image below). Scroll down a bit. Check the boxes labeled 위 이용약관에 동의합니다 and 동의합니다 to accept the website’s terms and conditions for registration. Then click, the grey box at the bottom labeled 동의 as shown in the image below. Verifying your phone number On this page you have a choice between verifying via your cell phone or an i-PIN. I am not sure how the i-PIN works. I have never been able to acquire an i-PIN. However, if you have an i-PIN continue on by clicking the blue button labeled i-PIN. Otherwise, click on 휴대폰 인증 to complete a cell phone verification process. After clicking the cell phone verification button, you will get a pop up screen that looks like the image below. Select your cell phone service provider. Click the “Full Consent” check box. Then, you can either choose to verify via PASS or SMS. Choose whichever works best for you. With PASS, you will need to download the PASS app if you haven’t already done so and verify according to your PASS app instructions. For SMS verification, you will receive a text message with a numeric code to input. I find this to be the easiest option. See below for SMS verification steps. Below is what the SMS verification screen looks like. You will need to enter your name as shown on your Alien Registration Card (ARC) as well as the first 7 digits of your ARC number. Then, enter your phone number, type in the captcha code and click “Confirm.” You will receive a text message to your phone with a six digit code. Enter the code on your verification screen and click “Confirm.” Creating your user name and password After verifying your phone number, you should be redirected to the page shown below. This is where you will create your user name and password. Your user name should be between 6-10 characters. If your user name isn’t accepted, try typing it in all lower case letters. Korean sites often don’t distinguish between capital and lower case letters. Your password should be 9 or more characters long and include alphanumeric (letters and numbers) text as well as a special character. The ACCEPTABLE special characters include !@$%^&* (any other special characters will be rejected. Once you’ve created your user name and password. Re-enter your phone number and click 확인 to confirm. You successfully created an account if you see the below prompt pop up. Click “OK” and you will be redirected back to the main page of the KDCA website to log in. Now you can log into the KDCA website to access your COVID vaccination record. Step 2: Update your personal profile with your digital certificate Now that you have registered an account on the KDCA website and you are logged in, you can access your English COVID vaccination record. Just follow the instructions listed below. First, after logging in, find the button on the top right hand corner of the webpage labeled 회원정보 수정. Click it. Then, on the left hand side of the page, find and click on 회원부가정보 입력. NOTE: Remember the digital certificate (공인증서) we talked about all the way at the top of this blog? You will need that certificate for this next part. So, if you didn’t have a chance to get one set up already, here is another opportunity. Just follow the instructions on this blog post and you will be ready for the next step. Scroll down to the bottom of the KDCA page. Enter your information as shown below. You will upload your digital certificate on the last row of this table where it says 인증서 등록 . Uploading your digital certificate When you click on 인증서 등록, you will get a pop up screen that looks like the image below. You may need to click on a few buttons before you find it, but search for your digital certificate and enter the password associated with your digital certificate. I found my digital certificate listed under the button labeled 하드디스크 (hard disk). Click 확인 when you have finished entering your credentials. If the digital certificate row reads 등록되었습니다, then you can click 회원정보 수정 at the bottom of the page to save your information. You will know it saved correctly if you see the pop up message below. Click OK. Step 3: Access your English COVID vaccination certificate Phew! Are you still with me? If you are, I am proud of you for making it this far. Korea’s online systems require a lot of verifications to ensure that your information remains secure from hackers. It can get super frustrating to navigate this system, but once you get set up, it gets easier. Okay, so you should now be back to the main KDCA page. On the right hand side of the page, you will see a button panel (see image below). Click the top button on the panel labeled 예방접종증명서 신청. Click on 영문 for the English version of your COVID vaccination certificate. Then, click the button next to your name labeled 증명서 신청. Fill out the form with your information as shown below. The digital certificate pop up window will appear. Find your digital certificate. Enter your digital certificate password. Then, click 확인 to confirm. The below message means you are good to go. Click OK. Step 4 (Hallelujah!): Printing your English COVID vaccination certificate Select the dates from when you received your first shot to when you received your second shot. Then, click 검색. Your vaccination certificate will appear in the table below. Click 문서출력. A pop up window will appear with instructions on how to print your COVID vaccination certificate. After skimming through the instructions, close out of the instructions window to view your English COVID vaccination record. Click on the printer button on the top right corner of the page and there you have it! Congratulations if you made it through this crazy long blog on how to print your English COVID vaccination certificate. You are a trooper! If you went through all of these instructions and still weren’t able to get access to your vaccination certificate, there is another way. What if I can’t (or don’t want to) access my COVID vaccination record online? If you couldn’t access your COVID vaccination online after going through the entire process above, you have two other options for getting a COVID vaccination certificate appropriate for travel outside the country. Visit your local health (보건소) or community center (주민센터) Not all health centers and community centers offer this service, so it would be wise to call ahead to double check if yours does. However, some local health centers (보건소) or community centers (주민센터 aka 동사무소) will print an English COVID vaccination certificate for you if you visit in person. Just copy and paste these names (보건소 or 주민센 터 or 동사무소) into Naver or Kakao maps to find a location near you. Make sure you bring your Alien Registration Card (ARC) with you when you visit. Get your Korean certificate apostilled On a call with a 1339 COVID call center representative, I was informed that you can get your Korean COVID vaccination certificate apostilled to verify it for when you travel outside the country. Before starting this process, always check the rules and policies for the country you are traveling to. Make sure that an apostilled copy...

The post How to obtain your Korean COVID vaccination certificate in English appeared first on South of Seoul.

What is a language barrier? Before we jump into the challenges of language barriers, we need to understand what a language barrier is. There are several definitions for language barriers that essentially say the same thing. For the purpose of this article we will use Google’s Oxford Languages Dictionary. According to Google’s Oxford Languages Dictionary, a language barrier is “a barrier to communication between people who are unable to speak a common language.” This is a pretty simple, standard definition of a language barrier. If you don’t speak the same language as someone else, it can be difficult to communicate. So, to solve this language barrier problem, you can simply learn the other person’s language, right? Well, not exactly. If you break down the definition a bit, you will realize the complexity of language barriers. Listen to the BlogCast Don’t want to read? Listen to the South of Seoul BlogCast which provides accessible content through the use of AI technology. We don’t have time to read each article but we do our best to make more of our content accessible. If you would like to join our Accessibility Team apply to volunteer with South of Seoul. Please note that the pronunciation of some Korean words may be inaccurate due to AI technology’s limitations. Let’s break it down Common Language Let’s begin at the end. What is “common language?” The term ‘common’ describes something that is “shared by….more than one” [person/group/entity]. The term ‘language’ encompasses “the principal method of communication, consisting of words used in a structured and conventional way and conveyed by speech, writing, or gesture.” Therefore, a ‘common language’ can be defined as a shared method of communication conveyed by speech, writing or gesture. This definition seems pretty straightforward. If you share a language, you should be able to communicate well with one another. At least, that is the overarching assumption. However, if you think a little deeper, I’m sure you can tell me about time when you’ve experienced a miscommunication with someone who shares your language. Here is my experience: I once visited a friend in Tennessee. My friend invited me to go skiing over the weekend… It was the middle of summer with no snow in sight… Thoroughly confused, I agreed to go. When we arrived at the lake, it became clear that he meant WATER skiing. I asked, “if you call water skiing, ‘skiing,’ then what do you call skiing in the mountains?” He replied, “oh, that’s SNOW skiing!” In Utah, which was my place of residence at the time, skiing (without the adjective in front) meant snow skiing. If we were on the water, then, we would specify water skiing. A simple, harmless miscommunication, but a miscommunication nonetheless. Although we spoke the same language and were from the same country, our cultures influenced the way we communicated verbally. Sharing a common language doesn’t exempt us from experiencing language barriers. Communication Communication is defined as “the imparting or exchanging of information or news” or “the successful conveying or sharing of ideas and feelings.” As mentioned above, communication can be conveyed by speech, writing, or gestures. Is it as simple as that? You guessed it… the answer is no. Think about the different ways you communicate with someone. How many did you come up with? If you do a quick Google search on different modes of communication, you will find an array of results. This blog by Team Leverage Edu explains 16 Types of Modes of Communication. Our culture and environment shape how we choose to communicate. Having various communication methods means more ways to experience language barriers. For example, in many countries such as Sweden, China, Japan, Romania and Russia, gift-giving is a form of communication. Gift-giving within each culture communicates different things. Read more about what gift-giving communicates to different cultures here. Korea practices gift-giving as a style of communication as well. When someone invites you to their home in Korea, you should always bring a gift. Bringing a small gift communicates your respect and gratitude for the invitation. Not bringing a gift may make your host feel like they offended you in some way, even if you didn’t mean to. Your host will never voice their opinion out loud, but they will internalize their feelings about the situation which may cause tension in your relationship. Communication mistakes will occur and that’s okay. These types of communication styles won’t necessarily be written in black and white. However, there are ways to learn about and overcome these communication barriers. One way would be to research cultural etiquette. More tips on how to overcome language barriers to come in a future blog! Barrier ‘Barrier’ is a much more straightforward term to define compared with the terminology above. A barrier is simply “a [figurative or literal] fence or other obstacle that prevents movement or access.“ A language barrier consists of various obstacles that you must overcome to gain understanding and access to your community. Language barriers occur not only among those who speak different languages, but also among those who share a common language. Barriers to language and communication are complex. They may be difficult to manage at first. However, we can all overcome barriers if we put in a little effort. Language barriers in Korea Many of us living in Korea have experienced a language barrier at some point in time. I am half Korean and have intermediate to advance level conversational Korean proficiency, and I constantly face language barriers. Below are some examples of my personal experiences with language barriers. “Have you eaten, [insert meal time]?” One night, I met with a Korean friend at 10pm, and they started the conversation with “have you eaten, dinner?” Where I am from, when you ask if someone has eaten, it generally means that the person who is asking is hungry and wants to grab a bite. That is not always the case in Korea. Instead, it is a common greeting to show that your friend cares about your well-being. “Would you like some chips and “Seolsa?” About 8 years ago, I was shopping at Homeplus. I planned to make some crispy black bean tacos for dinner and needed to purchase salsa. I couldn’t find any salsa in the sections that I searched so I flagged down a store worker and asked for help. “Do you, by chance, sell salsa?” I ask in Korean. She gives me the most confused look and asks, “What are you looking for?” I repeat, “Salsa, it’s a sauce you dip tortilla chips in…you know, salsa.” Then, I show her a picture. “OH!” she replies with a look of relief on her face. She directs me to the aisle where I found my salsa. Later that day, I told my Korean friend about this experience. She laughed hysterically. It turns out Korean pronunciation is extremely important. I was apparently asking the store worker for some diarrhea (pronounced Seolsa 설사) rather than salsa (살사). My bad. “Can I [insert request]?” “I don’t know, can you?” I went to the bank to open an account. The teller spoke English, so in English, I asked “Can I open a bank account?” She replied with a smile, “Yes, you can.” Then, the teller sits and stares at me. I ask, “Can you open a bank account for me?” The teller replies, “Yes, I can.” She sits there and stares at me. I was very confused as to why she didn’t start the process to open an account for me. Then, I realized I needed to rephrase my question. “Open a bank account for me, please,” I say. Then, she proceeds with a smile to open a bank account for me. In America, when you ask “Can you [insert request]?” it is implied that you want an action completed. In Korea, if there is no direct request for action, the question is taken simply as a question to gain knowledge. The teller thought I just wanted to know if it was possible for me to open an account. She didn’t realize that I wanted her to actually open the account at that moment. The nuances between the request for “can you” and “will you” are very distinct in Korean. When translated to English and without cultural context, the request can be misunderstood. Putting it all together While words themselves are important to consider when talking about language barriers, culture, environment, and life experience are just as important. All of these things influence the way you communicate. It is important to understand how complex language is in order to overcome barriers to communication. Some language barriers are very obvious and straightforward, like when you don’t understand a Korean vocabulary word or a sentence said with a regional accent. Others are less obvious because they are ingrained in the culture such as the differences between “can you” and “will you.” However, all of these forms of communication matter and are crucial to your understanding of how to overcome the obstacle of language barriers. Now that you understand the complexities of language barriers, you are ready to take the next step to overcoming your language barrier challenges in Korea! Stay tuned for our next blog on tips for overcoming language barriers. Lisa Peck, MPH, CPHMs. Peck graduated from the University of Utah Asia Campus (UAC) in Incheon with a Master’s in Public Health and her Certification in Public Health (CPH). Ms. Peck also holds a Bachelor’s Degrees in Linguistics and one in International Studies with a Global Health emphasis. Ms. Peck is Korean American and speaks both English and Korean. She has moved between the US and Korea since childhood, finally settling in Korea after graduating from UAC. In 2021 Ms. Peck founded the South of Seoul Public Health Program which focuses on research and initiatives regarding the health and wellness of multinational residents in South Korea. Additionally, Ms. Peck oversees the SOS Public Health Graduate Student Practicum Program which provides mentorship and training for Master’s in Public Health students. The program works with two students a semester with a focus on ethical UX research design, survey development, and initiative implementation. www.southofseoul.net

The post The Challenge of the Language Barrier in Korea appeared first on South of Seoul.

The 2021 South of Seoul Public Health Survey found that putting effort into developing cultural competence may improve your perceptions of your own healthcare in South Korea. Let’s talk about this. Listen to the BlogCast Don’t want to read? Listen to the South of Seoul BlogCast which provides accessible content through the use of AI technology. We don’t have time to read each article but we do our best to make more of our content accessible. If you would like to join our Accessibility Team apply to volunteer with South of Seoul. Please note that the pronunciation of some Korean words may be inaccurate due to AI technology’s limitations. The Hard Parts of Ex-Pat Life Living in a foreign country can sometimes be difficult, frustrating, and lonely. It can feel like ‘everyone’ is working against you. Feelings of intense anger toward yourself and/or the culture around you may surface. You feel that you may never fit in or feel at home in the foreign country. You may find that this sentiment is common among ex-pats around the world and it has a name: culture shock. Culture shock might not be the only hurdle you face, but you can take action to overcome it. Therefore, addressing culture shock is a great place to start when tackling your integration journey. South of Seoul founder, Lanae Rivers-Woods, who has lived in South Korea for over a decade, detailed some tips she uses to overcome culture shock in her excellent blog (5 Tips for Conquering Culture Shock). Nobody needs to do it alone. The barriers that you face with culture shock can affect not only your day-to-day activity but also your ability to access healthcare in Korea. For this reason, building cultural competence is a vital skill to overcoming such barriers. What is ‘cultural competence’? Cultural competence. This technical term may invoke feelings of belittlement. Reading the term, ‘competence,’ in certain contexts may make you feel like your intelligence is being challenged. However, ‘competence’ is simply a term. If we remove the negative connotations that surround this term, we can be more open to understanding the full concept of cultural competence. Definition Many people have cultural knowledge, cultural awareness, and cultural sensitivity. These traits, however, should not be confused with cultural competence. Cultural knowledge, awareness and sensitivity make up only a part of the definition. They lack a key aspect that truly defines cultural competence: action and structural change. The CDC has a great definition of cultural competence. They define cultural competence as: “…a set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together in a system, agency, or among professionals that enables effective work in cross-cultural situations. ‘Culture’ refers to integrated patterns of human behavior that include the language, thoughts, communications, actions, customs, beliefs, values, and institutions of racial, ethnic, religious, or social groups. ‘Competence’ implies having the capacity to function effectively as an individual and an organization within the context of the cultural beliefs, behaviors, and needs presented by consumers and their communities.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, October 21). Cultural competence in health and Human Services. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://npin.cdc.gov/pages/cultural-competence. Human Services Edu has a more concise definition that reads: “The term cultural competence describes a set of skills, values and principles that acknowledge, respect and contribute to effective interactions between individuals and the various cultural and ethnic groups they come in contact with at work and in their personal lives.“ Admin. (2021, July 8). Cultural competency: Human services education. Human Services Edu. https://www.humanservicesedu.org/cultural-competency/. Both of these definitions imply that, to build cultural competence, you must take action or make structural changes to your belief system. Stepping outside your cultural beliefs for a moment to understand another’s allows you to have effective interactions with your community. This, however, doesn’t mean you need to give up your own cultural identity. Application Building cultural competence means taking a break from your personal thoughts and emotions to view your interactions from another perspective: putting yourself in someone else’s shoes, so to speak. Although it may come easily for some, building cultural competence takes time and practice. For instance, customer service differences between cultures remain one of the biggest points of contention for many foreigners in South Korea. Some foreigners have trouble practicing etiquette that seems rude in their home country but is not considered rude in Korea. Personally, I struggled with calling out across the room to waitstaff. This action felt horrifically rude until I took a second to look at the situation from the Korean waitstaff’s perspective. Korean restaurants (particularly small local ones) have very few waitstaff, if any. If the waitstaff had to check up on each table every five minutes (as they do in many U.S. restaurants), they would never get anything done. Calling to waitstaff when we need something allows them to efficiently do their jobs while serving their customers. Even now, I feel weird calling out, but I do it anyway because that is what the culture calls for, and I am able to get what I need more quickly. Why is cultural competence important for accessing healthcare in South Korea? Minor cultural adaptations such as my restaurant experience above can be handled fairly easily and improve the quality of daily life. Our recent SOS Public Health Survey confirmed a correlation between an individual’s level of cultural understanding, their level of integration into Korean society, and their accessibility to healthcare in Korea (shown in the below table). Where cultural competency gets spicy is when you have to deal with the high-stress experience of healthcare. In a healthcare setting, like a doctor’s visit, we deal with our own culture shock and cultural competence but also the Korean healthcare providers’ culture shock and gaps in their own cultural competencies. So, building cultural competence is a team effort. We will talk about our own cultural competencies in this blog since working on ourselves is what we have the most power over at any given moment. If we can increase cultural competence among patients and healthcare providers alike, we can increase equitable access to healthcare. In other words, if you build trust and respect regardless of the differences between you and your healthcare provider and vise versa, then you each will feel more comfortable interacting with each other. If you and your physician are able to work beyond your cultural differences, this can lead to: Cultural Competence in the West Countries designated as part of the “Western World” such as Australia, England, and the U.S. have very diverse populations. These countries have had quite some time to adapt to diversity and cultural issues (though many places in the Western World still have some ways to go on this). Due to the high levels of diversity among demographic populations (i.e. race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, etc.) in the ‘West,’ healthcare providers have adapted cultural competence trainings as part of their onboarding process for new employees. Now, not all healthcare providers require this training which is unfortunate. Nonetheless, the implementation of cultural competence training continues to grow and evolve in the ‘West.’ Cultural Competence in South Korea Before we dive into cultural competence in Korea, we need to understand the makeup of the international population living here. In Korea, globalization is still a fairly new thing. Korea has experienced enormous growth among its international population over the last 20 years. In 2000, the foreign population count was at 491,234. By 2020, the population reached over 2 million. It can be difficult to keep up with the growing health needs of the international population with this kind of growth rate. Furthermore, the diversity that we see in Korea cannot be compared with the diversity seen in the West. In Western countries, diversity is high, but the majority of cultural groups tend to be members of the same nationality (i.e. Korean American, Black American, Mexican American). The culturally ethnic groups may differ, but each group shares some sort of base understanding of American culture as a whole. Therefore, Korea has to deal with not only people of varying racial/ethnic backgrounds but also people of varying nationalities. Each country has its own healthcare culture. The difficulty of managing patients from all these different cultural backgrounds can be overwhelming. Although it may not be fun or easy for any of us, it will take time for the South Korean healthcare system to learn how to manage this social shift; we all have to still manage our healthcare through this difficult time. Korea is known for making great strides for the growth of the country. I have no doubt that Korea will find ways to adapt to the cultural changes. However, they can’t do it alone. Healthcare workers need our patience and understanding. It is up to us to make the first move by building on our personal cultural competence about Korea and advocating for our health needs. When we practice conscious, cultural competence it allows others around us to more easily reciprocate. The fact of the matter is that this sounds easier than it is. Being present and aware of our own cultural competencies during vulnerable interactions, such as healthcare, feels overwhelming, and often we will fall off the wagon. The feeling of anger may overwhelm us. Fear may lead to our perceptions being skewed. Frustration may make us unwilling to observe things objectively. However, all is not lost when you find yourself buried by culture shock. Feel those feelings. Address those feelings. Explore what experiences caused those feelings. Advocate for yourself by learning what cultural differences could have caused this, and advocate for change where change is needed. In short, build up your cultural competence a little at a time. How do I build cultural competence to improve my comfort level in South Korea? You can build cultural competence in a variety of different ways. Here are a few tips on how I started when I first moved to Korea. Tip # 1 Learn the language Learning a new language, especially one like Korean which uses characters that look nothing like that of your native language, can be daunting. However, don’t let the Korean language scare you. It is more straightforward than you might expect. You also don’t have to become fluent. Just learning how to read can change how you view the world around you. Many people are able to get by in Korea using translating apps and interpreters. Even knowing how to speak Korean, I still use Papago occasionally for more difficult language exchanges. However, this method of communication is less personal. When you learn the local language, even if only a couple of useful phrases, it shows that you are making an effort to understand the community. When the local community can see your efforts, they may be more open to connecting with you and lending a helping hand. Furthermore, in a health setting, learning a few technical health-related words and phrases can help you navigate your hospital visits with more ease. Even in your native language, medical terms can be difficult to understand and explain, right? Understanding a few Korean medical phrases can help reduce some of the stress that results from misunderstanding. I know I feel more comfortable visiting a doctor when I at least know some of the basic medical terminology my doctor uses. As a testament to the importance of language, our SOS Public Health survey revealed that a high level of language proficiency is correlated with a high level of integration and access to healthcare. The survey results are listed below. More to come on language barriers and healthcare access in a future blog. Tip # 2 Make at least one local friend This tip is a major one that I will always recommend no matter where in the world you live or travel. Making local friends opens up so many doors. A local friend can show you their culture from a “behind-the-scenes” perspective by giving you the exclusive scoop on how to interact with other Koreans. Moreover, learning about...

The post How to improve your comfort level with Healthcare in South Korea appeared first on South of Seoul.

Disclaimer Although we had survey respondents from all around the world, we chose to focus on the United States for this blog post because the U.S. healthcare system is dramatically different from South Korea’s. The main difference being that the U.S. doesn’t have universal healthcare like many other places such as Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. However, if you are not from the U.S., don’t let this deter you from reading on. There will be some useful information on South Korea below that you can use to compare with your home country. Listen to the BlogCast Don’t want to read? Listen to the South of Seoul BlogCast which provides accessible content through the use of AI technology. We don’t have time to read each article but we do our best to make more of our content accessible. If you would like to join our Accessibility Team apply to volunteer with South of Seoul. Please note that the pronunciation of some Korean words may be inaccurate due to AI technology’s limitations. Survey says… We have been in the process of analyzing our 2021 SOS Public Health Survey responses. As we analyzed our survey results, we noticed an inconsistency among responses regarding individual understanding of primary health care. While some respondents referred to primary health care and health insurance synonymously, others believed primary health care to include specialized services and surgeries. As a result of this finding, we realized the importance of health literacy in regard to primary health care. Navigating a foreign health system can be extremely difficult if you aren’t familiar with how your home country’s health system works. Therefore, understanding the differences in primary healthcare between the U.S. (or your home country) and South Korea gives you the upper hand to maneuvering your way through a healthcare system. This, in turn, allows you to advocate for your health and increase your access to healthcare services. Below are 3 important differences between primary healthcare in South Korea and the U.S. 1. The Definition of Primary Healthcare Both the U.S. and South Korea define primary healthcare, emphasis on “primary”, differently. Primary Healthcare in the U.S. The definition of primary healthcare has been redefined many times over the years. Several definitions have three main points in common: (1) primary healthcare is the first point of contact (gatekeepers) for a patient to a physician; (2) the focus of care is health promotion and disease prevention; and (3) the overarching goal is to increase accessibility of care to achieve the highest level of health in a population. In order to define primary healthcare as a whole, the the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF formed the following definition: “[Primary healthcare] is a whole-of-society approach to health that aims at ensuring the highest possible level of health and well-being and their equitable distribution by focusing on people’s needs and as early as possible along the continuum from health promotion and disease prevention to treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care, and as close as feasible to people’s everyday environment.” World Health Organization. (2021, April 1). Primary health care. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/primary-health-care. So, what types of medical services are provided under the primary healthcare umbrella? Primary healthcare medical services are services that can be provided by a general practitioner or family physician. These services include family medicine and internal medicine. Learn more about family and internal medicine here. Any service that requires a specialist (i.e. cardiologist, dermatologist, etc.) is considered secondary healthcare. Any service that requires the use of highly specialized equipment (i.e. surgeries, transplants, etc.) would be considered tertiary care, and so on. In order to access these “higher” levels of healthcare services, in most cases, you must first receive a referral from your primary healthcare provider. Primary Healthcare in South Korea Similarly to the U.S., South Korea defines primary care as “the healthcare service first encountered by people (Cho et al., 2020).” However, two big differences delineate South Korean primary healthcare from U.S. primary healthcare. First, rather than having a tiered system for medical services, South Korea has a tiered system for types of hospitals. IFEZ Global Center and Expat Guide Korea provide an excellent explanation of how this tiered system works (note: these articles label the tier system differently, I will be referencing the levels listed on the IFEZ site). Primary healthcare in Korea falls under the services of tier 1 hospitals/clinics. In addition to family and internal medicine-type services, tier 1 hospitals/clinics in South Korea may include some specialized services. See a list of specialized services that may fall under the tier 1 hospital domain here. Second, Korea practices gatekeeping differently. In South Korea, there is little to no gatekeeping on specialized services. Many specialized services do not require a referral from a general practitioner as they do in the U.S. The gatekeeping in Korea occurs when a patient needs to visit a larger General Hospital (tier 3). In this case, a tier 1 or tier 2 hospital referral is needed before accessing tier 3 services. That said, you can still make an appointment at a tier 3 hospital without a referral; just keep in mind, that without a referral, your Korean National Health Insurance may not fully cover your treatment. 2. Primary Healthcare and Health Insurance Health insurance also works differently in the U.S. and South Korea. Health Insurance in the U.S. Because the U.S. doesn’t have universal health care, access to primary care services based on insurance coverage differs greatly among individuals and families. In the U.S., not all health insurance is created equally. On average, individual spending on health insurance amounts to about $456 per month and $1,152 for a family per month (Poretta, 2020). If you don’t have some type of insurance, you may have limited access to primary healthcare services. With or without insurance, in the U.S., out-of-pocket costs remain high. You can increase your healthcare coverage by purchasing private or supplemental health insurance. However, purchasing private or supplemental insurance packages can get pricey. If you can afford these types of full coverage insurance packages, you can receive really great medical care. But, if you can’t afford insurance, visiting the hospital for minor ailments can seem daunting. Health Insurance in South Korea In South Korea, National Health Insurance (NHIS) is provided to all registered residents (though there are some cases when registered residents remain uninsured). All registered residents must pay into the insurance system in Korea. For international residents, automatic enrollment occurs after living in the country for six months. From this 6-month point, international residents must begin paying into the NHIS. If you don’t start payment, your bill will continue accruing costs until paid. I learned this the hard way. Just a few days ago, I received a hefty bill in the mail for the cost of about 5 months worth health insurance. Although I never registered myself for NHIS (because I had international student insurance), I was automatically enrolled once my 6-month mark hit. Expat Guide Korea has a great article that explains how NHIS works. Although I have this large bill to pay, I am grateful to have access to the NHIS insurance. NHIS covers between 50-80% of an individuals medical cost depending on the service utilized. Fifty percent of coverage may seem low. However, the cost of medical services is overall much lower in Korea compared to the U.S. For those who need more specialized care services, the option to purchase private or international insurance is also available to help reduce cost of treatment. NHIS is easy to use because it is tied to your Alien Registration Card (ARC) number. So, when hospitals look up your ARC number, insurance is automatically applied (no need for insurance cards or numbers). On average, NHIS costs about 120,000 won (roughly $120 USD) per person per month. Your salary determines the amount you will pay for health insurance. For those employed in Korea, depending on your job, your employer may cover up to 50% (or more in some cases) of your health insurance payment. 3. Primary Health Care and Copays Last but not least, here are the differences in U.S. and South Korean copayment (copay) systems. Copays in the U.S. In the U.S., some insurances require a copay for services. Copays are fixed dollar amounts designated by the insurer. So, with a copay in the U.S. you always know how much you will pay when you seek medical services. Copays in South Korea In Korea, copays essentially function as deductibles would in the U.S. Korea calculates copays as a percentage of your medical care costs. According to Korea4Expats.com, for inpatient care, the patient covers 20% of the total medical bill as the copay. Copay percentages increase with the use of different tiered hospital systems: dental care (30%), outpatient care hospitals (40%), general hospitals (50%). You can reduce your copay amount by purchasing private insurance. Copays in Korea have a ceiling of 3 million won (roughly $3,000 USD) over a six month period. Twenty percent of a medical bill can seem extremely terrifying when you think in terms of cost of medical care in the U.S., but fear not! In most cases, medical care tends to be relatively cheap which, in turn, makes copays (as low as 3,000 won [roughly $3 USD]) relatively cheap as well, depending on the type of medical care you receive. See below for the breakdown of outpatient copays based on area and hospital type. You have access. Don’t be afraid to use it. With Korea’s universal healthcare system in place, just about anyone can access primary healthcare easily. Don’t let the copay percentages scare you. They seem high, but medical services in Korea are cheaper than you might expect. As a personal example, once upon a time in Korea, I was hospitalized overnight on an IV in the emergency room WITHOUT INSURANCE(this was before the automatic enrollment policy was in place). I was terrified of what I would have to pay when I left the hospital because I had friends in the U.S. who paid $10,000 out-of-pocket WITH INSURANCE for similar situations. I paid 60,000 won (roughly $60 USD). Korean primary medical care is amazing. We can access so many different kinds of primary healthcare services here with little opposition. Most places allow walk-ins and the majority of basic care services are relatively affordable. Don’t be afraid to use these services. If you are unsure whether you are covered by NHIS, you can always call or stop in at a regional or local NHIS branch office to find out. Always do some research on cost and types of services available before visiting a hospital or clinic. This will take the stress out of being slapped with a big bill on the spot. But don’t take my word for it. Here is what our U.S. survey respondents living in South Korea had to say about the accessibility and affordability of Korean healthcare. In future blog posts, we will cover the importance of cultural competency in healthcare access, as well as, how to overcome language barriers. There is also a ton more survey data to share. So, stay tuned! Follow SOS Public Health for More Resources Follow us on Instagram or Facebook to stay updated on SOS Public Health Initiatives. If you have questions about healthcare in Korea, visit the Health and Wellness in Korea Facebook Group, or feel free to message SOS Public Health with any questions or concerns. Apply for an SOS Public Health Practicum Opportunity Are you a graduate student looking for practical experience in public health? Apply for a an SOS Public Health Practicum! Click below to learn more about the SOS Public Health Practicum Program. Research Design & Implementation Team UX/UI Supervisor & Editor Primary Researcher & Author Lisa Peck, MPH, CPHMs. Peck graduated from the University of Utah Asia Campus (UAC) in Incheon with a Master’s in Public Health and her Certification in Public Health (CPH). Ms. Peck also holds a Bachelor’s Degrees in Linguistics and one in International Studies with a Global Health emphasis. Ms. Peck is Korean...

The post 3 Important Differences Between Primary Healthcare in South Korea and the U.S. appeared first on South of Seoul.

Sometimes a product you purchased doesn’t work out the way you want it to. Instead of getting frustrated, try some of these phrases to help you get an exchange or refund. Christi ClineChristi Cline holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and a Korean American. She proudly served in the US Marines and worked as a police officer before moving into social media and online content. As a Cultural Liason and Content Creator with South of Seoul, Ms. Cline reported on Pyeongtaek news and helped to coordinate youth camps with the Pyeongtaek Youth Center. After leaving her volunteer position with South of Seoul, Christi moved to the United States and joined a global communications technology company.

The post Useful Phrases for Getting an Exchange or Refund appeared first on South of Seoul.

This meal was filled with 정 and deliciousness.  Recently I was asked this questions, “What makes a good mom & pop restaurant in Korea?” When I first arrived here it was one of the most perplexing things for me and I never thought I would ever be good at it. Everything looked the same and I couldn’t deduce what was good and what was bad. I felt helpless when it came time to pick a place to eat. My solution, just start walking into any place I saw and just eating there.  After years of this I’ve finally developed that sixth sense that tells me a shop is going to be magic. It feels good to have crossed that barrier of entry. Of course, trying to put this into words is harder than it sounds. Today I’m going to do my best give a few pointers that might help you get more comfortable deciding where to eat. 1.  Are their hand written signs in the window for special dishes? I’ve found that busy windows full of specials are a good sign that the people in the kitchen care about making delicious things and not just a menu list. They are cooking for season and not just what’s pre-decided. These specials are usually fantastic as well. 2. How busy is the restaurant at meal times? The number of cars in the parking lot or the number of people in seats is always a good sign. Especially if those seats are filled with grandmas and grandpas. If the seats are only filled with construction workers than maybe it’s just cheap. 3. Is the word 고향 (hometown) in the name? Mom & Pop restaurants offering hometown cooking really do have a higher rate of deliciousness and better side dishes. Also, if they specifically mention a region of Korea. 4. It’s not a brand or a chain. Although many brands and chains are individually owned and can have great things, their side dishes are often boring and lack a distinct flavor. To find chains or brands that do have a good mom and pop flavor, refer to rule number one. 5. Lot’s of side dishes in the pictures. Side dishes are my jam. I LOVE a good 백반 (look for this and order this) option. This means that the meal is primarily side dishes. 6. Boxes of fresh veggies piled around. When I see piles of cabbage, radish, and greens stacked outside the shop or just inside the door, I know it’s going to be a good meal. 7.  Warn out but also clean. Great places often look tired, but also really loved. Families often grow up in these restaurants. They are as much homes as they are businesses. We aren’t done yet though, once you have found what feels like the perfect place – how do you know the food is top notch? Let’s look at that now: 1. Rice. This is a BIG deal.  It also should never be dry or taste stale. The rice that comes to your table should be so delicious you can enjoy it by itself. The best restaurants also don’t serve just white rice. They serve bean rice or a mixed rice because it’s more nutritionally balanced. No self-respecting mom and pop shop servings bad rice. This is often where restaurants near the military bases let you down. They buy the cheap rice and it truly ruins the meal. 2. Lettuce. It shouldn’t be wilted and it should be bitter. If you are in a meat restaurant where the lettuce is sagging, that’s just a no.  It’s a real deal breaker for me. 3. Vegetable quality. The veggies should be fresh and rich in flavor. In the states we are now used to our fruits and veggies being flavorless, but that should happen here. Carrots should be sweet, cucumbers fresh and juicy, tomatoes sweet and tangy, etc. If there are bowls of things everywhere being washed, you’ve nailed it. It’s going to be great. 4. Depth of flavor. The broths shouldn’t be one dimensional. The majority should be dynamic and carry a wide variety for flavors. There are simpler dishes, but you usually add dynamic flavors to them on your own to bring out their full personality. They are like a blank canvas with the base paint added but you get to do the rest. 5. Diversity of side dishes. Pyeongtaek is bad about this, but ideally you want there to be diversity in your side dishes. A balance of nutrition and taste. If there are three dishes it’s ideal if they aren’t all similar. Sometimes I let this pass when the main dish is extraordinary but I’m always a little bitter about it. 6. You eat it and even though you don’t understand it you still think, “OMG! Where have you been all my life?”  7. Finally, beyond the food you want to feel 정 (Jeong). Which sounds super crazy, but after you are here for a bit you start to know what it means and how important it is. It’s a particular feeling. A sense of warmth, a kindness extended across the divide. It might be a soda given as service. A special side dish brought out after they see you eat all the others. It’s usually reserved,but emotionally palatable. It’s also a part of the Korean experience and once you start to see it or recognize it you know you are on the road to understand not just the food but also the hearts of Korea. You can download the South of Seoul App from:

The post What makes a good mom and pop restaurant? appeared first on South of Seoul.

Always remember, if you don’t feel comfortable speaking, you can simply show the server your phone and point the the phrase you need.  Things you need to know when you order: The barista will want to know if you want the coffee hot or cold. In the summer they will assume you want all drinks cold is you don’t clarify. American style drip coffee is usually not available, so you will ask for hand-drip. Although the names of coffee are western, you will need to use the Korean pronunciation. Most stores do not have decaf, low-fat milk, or soy milk. In Korea, coffee is best considered a slow food. It’s not about speed. Don’t expect to be in and out of a fancy coffee shop fast. The local taste prefers a lighter, weaker coffee. If you want strong coffee you will need to let the barista know. Latte’s are often JUST milk. If you want coffee in your latte you will need to clarify this. BASIC  MENU ITEMS THINGS YOU WANT THINGS YOU DON’T WANT OTHER PHRASES

The post Useful Phrases for Coffee Shops appeared first on South of Seoul.