• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.319-382
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• 2008

As a withdrawing care's study, the purpose of this study is searching about withdrawing care's acceptance and circumstances through Bora-mae hospital case(chapter 1). Withdrawing life-sustaining treatment has various forms. Though the meaning of euthanasia, death with dignity, natural death, physician assisted suicide are duplicated, the meaning of those are different slightly. Firstly, this study looks about the difference of the those meaning and acceptance range(condition) by withdrawing care's forms(chapter 2). Bora-mae hospital case sentenced guilty about physician who discharged incompetent patient who was after surgery by patient's wife determination. This Bora-mae case that sentenced guilty about discharge against medical advise(DAMA) that is regarded to custom has brought intensive confliction of legal, social, medical aspect, Bora-mae hospital case has many legal problems. First, as to criminal law rule 250(murder), the problem is whether discharge and withdrawing life-sustaining treatment is commission or omission. this study concluded omission(district court: omission, appeal, supreme court: commission). Because legal denounce point of discharge and medical treatment withdrawing is omission that physician who is obligatory on patient to cure. If physician's act is regarded omission, it is necessary to determine whether he has guardian status and obligation. Without guardian status and obligation, omission crime can't exist. This study decided that physician had guardian status and obligation and foundation of guardian status was pre-action or acceptance of emergency patient. Physician's medical treatment duty finished when patient(or patient's guardian) demands discharge. But when patient death is foreseen and other possible treatment does not exist, his duty of life prolonging treatment does not finish. This originate from physician's social responsibility and public status that limits patient's private liberty. This study regarded physician's action as accomplice about whether physician's discharging action is accomplice or the principal offender(district court: the principal offender, appeal, supreme court: accomplice). Though the principal offender needs criminal determination and action, there is no this common determination and functional action control of physician in Bora-mae case(chapter 3). Bora-mae hospital case partly originated from deficiency of legal, institutive system including medical security system shortage, the instruction is 1. medical security system strengthening, 2. hospital ethical committee's activity strengthening, 3. institutionalization of withdrawing life-sustaining treatment, 4. acceptance of pre-decision making system, 5. sufficient persuasion of physician for patient and faithful writing of medical paper, 6. respect for patients' self-determination and rights, 7. consciousness's changing for withdrawing life-sustaining treatment and persistent education about medical ethics(chapter 4). Considering Bora-mae case, medical sector is not the dead ground of a criminal punishment. Intervention of criminal law in medical sector give rise to ill effect, that is, excess medical examination and treatment, safeguard treatment, delay of discharge from a hospital. Because sufficient guarantee of life becomes mere empty slogan under situation that impose a burden of heavy cost to family or hospital, public and systematic solution should be given(chapter 5).

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.317-343
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• 2014

In order to account for whether a doctor should indemnify damages resulted from violation of duty of care, the fact that a doctor violated duty of care, that damages were incurred, and the link between violation of duty of care and damages incurred, respectively, should be verified. So even though a doctor violated duty of care to patients, he or she will not bear the responsibility to indemnify damages unless it is not verified. If a doctor's negligence in medical practices is assessed that obviously unfaithful medical practice far exceeds the limit of admission of a patient, it will not go against people's general perception of justice or law and order to constitute a medical malpractice itself as an illegal action that will require liabiliy for damage. However, when the limit of admission is set too low, a patient's benefit and expectation of proper medical treatment can be violated. In contrast, if the limit of admission is set high, it can leave too little room for doctors' discretion for treatments due to a bigger risk of indemnification for damages. Thus, a reasonable balance that can satisfy both benefit and expectation of patients and doctors' right to treatment is needed.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.53-75
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• 2008

The end of life problem in the United States has been evolved from the development of concept of brain death over last 50 yr. The invention of ventilator and the development of emergency medicine also played a key role to elongate the end stage of life and which caused the American people to ask a question about the patients self determination and refusing the unwarranted medical treatment in the view of the death with dignity. With regard to the patient unable to self determination, surrogate decision was also considered. To guarantee the self determination, The patient self determination act also enacted on the level of Federal regulation in 1990s. But no law has effectively dealt with the situation when medical treatment became futile. Along with the significant debates on literature and court cases. The American Medical Association's Council on Medical and Judical Affairs presented formal opinion and the Texas was the first states to regulate the medical futile situation in 1999. Even though that definition was in controversy, the concept of medical futility mainly focused on the doctors' right to refuse the treatment.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.15-26
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• 2019

Background and Aim : Health care and cosmetics as well as quality of life is now a matter of concern and many categories of complementary and alternative medicine fall into the territory of the medical practice of Korean medicine. Accordingly, penalties are being taken for unlicensed medical practices of Korean medicine in so called complementary and alternative medicine area. There is a possibility of violating the law for the public part because it is not clearly stipulated in the law as to what is a licensed medical practice. Materials and Method : The significance of the Medical Service Act and the Act on Special Measures for the Control of Public Health Crimes were reviewed, and the related supreme court cases were discussed upon the legal aspect of processing the unlicensed medical practice of Korean medicine. The legal information was provided from the National Law Information Center of the Ministry of Government Legislation, and the information websites of the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court. Results : The concept of medical practice, which is essential in judging the case of unlicensed medical practice, is 'prevention and treatment of diseases through diagnosis, examination, prescribing, medication, or surgical procedures based on medical expertise', and the 'acts that may result in harm and injury of health unless performed by a medical person'. With respect to the medical practice of Korean medicine, the concept includes 'prevention and treatment of diseases using the principle of traditional Korean Medicine'. Conclusions : The concept of medical practice should be clearly stipulated in the law for the control over the unlicensed medical practices of Korean medicine. And it is important to move from the current concept of medical person-oriented medical practice emerging from the national system of healthcare control, to a concept that can accept the era of health managing-oriented medical environment and the co-governance of the healthcare providers and consumers for the future.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.47-79
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• 2019

The Korean Society of Law and Medicine has faithfully played the role of professional academic organizations last 20 years in terms of academic activities, accumulated achievements, diversity, professionalism, and influence on academic circles. The Korean Society of Law and Medicine and the Journal of Medical Law serve as a platform for academic information and exchange of opinions on medical law. Medical law began in the midst of increasing conflicts and disputes caused by medical malpractice and the enactment and legal coercion of medical care as pressure on medical workers. It tried to find a way to coexist with each other through the encounter and convergence of medicine and law. Medical criminal law extends from traditional crimes in the realm of life and body protection to bioethics violations caused by the development of biomedical technology, corruption and economic crime in the medical field. Medical law has evolved into a comprehensive legal area dealing with legal issues raised in medical treatment, healthcare, bioethics, and life sciences technology. On the legal side, medical law is not independent legal areas. It is overlapping with traditional law areas such as civil law, administrative law, criminal law, social law, civil and criminal procedure law. However, it is now established as a convergence study in medicine, bioethics, life science, as well as in various fields of law. It has become an area where collaboration is needed with the field of law, medicine, ethics, sociology and economics. Medical criminal law has undergone a dynamic development over the last two decades. The development of medicine and medical technology provides new and innovative methods of diagnosis and treatment. The achievements and risks of revolutionary developments in biotechnology, genetic engineering and medicine coexist. While there is a dazzling achievement that mankind has hoped for: combating disease and improving health, it also creates unwanted side effects and risks to humans. There is a need to reconsider ethical and legal principles. The discovery and development of patient identity and autonomy has changed the medical doctor-patient relationship. Furthermore, it was complicated by the triangle relationship of patients, medical doctors and insurance. Legal matters are also complicated. This is why the necessity of legislation is emerging. Criminal punishment provisions are also required. The Medical Law and Biomedical Law are systematically and coherently deformed as mosaic-based legislation that takes place whenever there are social issues, citizens' needs, and medical organizations' interests, rather than sufficient enactment and revision procedures. It needs a complete overhaul, and this is possible through interdisciplinary collaboration which is the strength of The Korean Society of Law and Medicine.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.303-354
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• 2013

In 2012, the major jurisdictions regarding medical cases caused the controversial issues towards medical and legal fields by getting the judgments from the Supreme Court, which admitted the exceptional admissibility on discretionary grant. By regarding the serial negligence of medical organizations as a separate tort, the sentences which made up irrationality, were spoken by the court. As a result, if the treatment was made, which did not follow the entered matters in medical documents attached, the court announced the jurisdiction that presumes the negligence, which provided the evidence of negligence; on the other hand, this gave had the burden to medical branch to take great care for medicinal treatment. To be applicable for the Principle of Trust, the doctors have to give and take the necessary information for the treatment process and symptom decisions, which also commented in the court. Thus, this case made it difficult to apply the Principle of Trust and considered all the conditions as tough ones, which eventually induced lesser faults for patients' care. Moreover, the court confirmed that the medical ads sending the emails to the members belong to the internet portal sites, are not the inducing behavior by considering that the actions are only medical ads. Furthermore, in the case of Namsu Kim, the court's interpretation was rather limited the definition for medical practice that announced limited Erweiterung der Strafbarkeit cases by lower courts. As a consequence, it is very interesting whether the Supreme Court may change their position and concerning the duty of explanation, the trend to expand the contents and scopes for the duty of explanation continues by admitting instruction explanation obligation and all the compensations and so on.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.3-43
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• 2016

The North Korean medical laws are consisted of 'People's Health Act' and 'Medical Act' in the peak of the North Korean constitutional law. Before the legislation of 'People's Health Act', a number of medical laws and regulations existed. But, at present, there is no information about its amendment and effectiveness. 'People's Health Act' legislated in 1980 declared fundamental principles and policies of the North Korean health care system. 'Medical Act' legislated in 1997 is the basic law among the North Korean medical laws. It presented the goals and fundamental principles of the North Korean health care, and then regulated the basics about 'Tests and Diagnosis', 'Medical Treatment', and 'Medical Appraisal'. 'Medical Act' of North Korea was established later than South Korea, and its provisions is smaller in number. And there are lots of abstract and declaratory provisions compare with South Korean 'Medical Act'. Especially there is no provision about the kind and requirements of medical personnel and medical institutions, so it is hard to grasp the North Korean health care system at once. Regarding the medical treatment, there are many similar contents between the North and South Korean 'Medical Act'. But, the provisions, such as regarding mixing the new medicine and the korean traditional medicine, encouraging natural therapies in medical treatment, and informing the patient's protector of bad diagnostic result if there is concern to have a bad influence on patient, are different from the South Korean 'Medical Act'.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.91-104
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• 2014

Objective : This study aims to compare the scope of practice of Korean Medicine doctors and western medicine doctors based on laws related to medical practice Method : We searched for laws related to medical practice using terminologies such as "Korean Medical practice", "Korean Medicine", "Principles of Korean Medicine", "western medicine", "Korean Medicine doctor", "western medicine doctor" at the national law information center(http://law.go.kr/main.html). Results : We categorized the laws we found into four categories: diagnosis, treatment, prescription, and all the other areas including public health. In diagnosis, both Korean Medicine doctors and western medicine doctors have a right to issue medical certificates including birth and death. However, diagnosis of a few specific diseases is allowed only to western medicine doctors. In treatment, laws related to emergency medicine and nursing at home were searched. Korean Medicine doctors and western medicine doctors are emergency care providers; however, most of emergency medicine can be done by western medicine doctors. In prescription, the scope of practice is divided by herbal medicine and western medicine. Finally, as public health professionals, both of them need to do lots of public health works. However, in some area such as vaccination, maternal and child health care, and industrial health, only western medicine doctors can practice. Conclusion : This study suggests that, in diagnosis, treatment, prescription, and all the other areas including public health, the scope of practice of Korean Medicine doctors and western medicine doctors has huge difference. There is also lack of consistency in current law, and some laws do not reflect current health care system and health care services.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.89-115
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• 2022

In this article, the Medical Act, the Emergency Medical Act, Act on remedies for injuries from medical malpractice and mediation of medical disputes were reviewed and interpreted based on the Civil Act. In the health and medical field, there are various laws that reflect changes in the medical field due to the development of health and medical technology, and their revision is very frequent. And the legislation has become very complicated. They contradict each other or require interpretation. In this situation, a person must take considerable care not to violate the law. In many cases, specific guidelines or authoritative interpretation are required to apply the law. Even guidelines and authoritative interpretations often conflict with civil law. In this article, errors in the legal text related to health care were found. In addition, it found a case that contradicts the civil law perspective in interpretation. Thus, it was confirmed that civil legal thinking was necessary to legislate, interpret, and apply health care-related laws.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.285-316
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• 2014

As the number of medical disputes regarding nurses has increased after medical disputes have increase, there is a need for a study on it. However, the legal relationship between nurses and patients has not yet been analyzed. Recently, the role and function of nurses are expanded according to the development of the science of nursing; moreover their activity and limitation of responsibility are also expanded. For this reason, the medical disputes regarding nurses have been increasing. However, the majority of these kind of dispute are just passed over because their practice is usually considered to be a mere action to assist doctor's role. In addition, nurse practice is not a secondary action of doctor's role, but forms part of a medical treatment. Of course, nurses handle many secondary tasks after doctors finish their medical treatment. But this is only part of the whole tasks of nurses. Furthermore, the general details of their medical treatment are not different from those of doctors because they also belong to the medical service personnel. Considering these features of nurse and the medical condition in South Korea, their task is becoming increasingly developed and specialized and they are also establishing their own field. With this stream of times, there is a growing interest in enacting a Nursing Practice Act, in other words, the independent law on nurse for the sake of patient safety and national health promotion. Then, their responsibility will distinctly be expanded as much more. That is, the time that nurses practice their medical care by following doctors' order and also pass over their responsibility to doctors is closed. Thus, this study examines the features and responsibilities of nursing practice, and discusses an institutional framework to efficiently cope with the legal disputes between nurses and patients. It aims to throw light on the decision making on nurse-patient disputes in future.