South Korean doctors flee paediatrics as low birth rate bites - CNA

For parents, the shortage can mean long waits for treatment for sick children.

One recent morning, the waiting room at a hospital in Seoul's outskirts was packed with dozens of children, many on intravenous drips.

"We had to wait two weeks," said Lee Bo-mi, a 35-year-old mother with a sick 3-year-old boy, at the Healthy Children's Hospital.

"I was really scared. It felt like the sky was falling."

Dr Song Dae-jin at Korea University Guro Hospital said he worried that staff shortages could soon cripple his team's ability to provide emergency care.

"At this rate, we won't be able to last the year," Song said. "It's not a big deal if mild diseases are not seen for a day or two but the consequences of not seeing serious diseases or emergency patients in a timely manner can be devastating."

A five-year-old boy with a respiratory infection died in May after failing to find a hospital bed, sparking a public outcry.

"Patients dying while bouncing around multiple emergency rooms, dying when it's not a serious disease, it's a travesty," said Dr Choi Yong-jae, vice president of the Korea Children's Hospital Association.

"I'M WORRIED"

Doctors say the low fee problem is particular to paediatrics as the insurance system hasn't been revised to reflect fewer child patients. When more babies were growing up, paediatricians could sustain a low price, high volume model but that doesn't apply now.

"In foreign countries, the government pays enough to maintain the hospital even if you see 20 patients a day," said Dr Lim Hyun-taek, president of Korean Pediatric Association, who said fees had not been raised significantly for 30 years.

"But it's about S$10 per treatment in Korea so clinics have to see about 80 patients a day."

By comparison, it costs about A$335 for initial standard consultation with an Australian paediatrician, while observation at Nationwide Children's Hospital in the US costs $208 per hour, according to its website.

The health ministry said measures had been introduced this year on fees and insurance compensation to supplement "limitations". It said it had proposed more state-backed centres and requirements for major hospitals to maintain emergency paediatric treatment.

"We understand that there are opinions from doctors saying it is not enough to cope with difficulties in the field. The government plans to steadily implement and continue to supplement the announced measures,” it said.

Data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service shows paediatricians are South Korea's lowest paid doctors, making 57 per cent less than the average doctor's salary.

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2023-07-06 06:45:40Z
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Hong Kong police arrest four men accused of aiding overseas activists - CNA

HONG KONG: Hong Kong national security police on Wednesday (Jul 5) arrested four men it accused of supporting overseas dissidents and of advocating for independence from China, two days after issuing warrants and bounties against several foreign-based activists.

The four men "were suspected of receiving funds from operating companies, social platforms and mobile applications to support people who have fled overseas and continue to engage in activities that endanger national security", the National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police said in a statement.

The statement did not specifically link the arrests to eight warrants issued earlier this week for prominent foreign-based dissidents. Local media, citing unnamed sources, connected the arrested men to an online platform known as "Punish Mee" that was allegedly used to provide financial aid to the eight wanted overseas activists.

The police statement cited "suspicion of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and acts with seditious intent" and said the men were suspected of breaking the National Security Law, imposed on Hong Kong by Beijing in 2020 following an outbreak of democracy demonstrations.

"They were also suspected of repeatedly publishing posts with seditious intention on social media platforms, including content which provoked hatred towards the Central Authorities (China) and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and advocated "Hong Kong independence", the police statement said.

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2023-07-05 14:54:00Z
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New Thai House Speaker could pave way for Move Forward's Pita Limjaroenrat to become prime minister, but challenges remain: Analysts - CNA

“The old guard in Thailand clearly doesn't want him, and one way or another, they want to get rid of him,” said Prof Hewison.

He said the case is likely to be sent by the election commission to the constitutional court, which has in the past been “very outspoken on dealing with people it sees as opposing the notion of democracy with the king as head of state”, noted Prof Hewison.

That process could take anywhere from a few days to a few months, he added.

Prof Thitinan said Mr Pita faces “all kinds of roadblocks” in his efforts to become prime minister.

“We've seen this over the last two decades. We had a sitting prime minister who was disqualified for hosting a cooking show,” he said, referring to former leader Samak Sundaravej’s ousting in 2008.

“We've had party dissolutions and disqualifications of top leaders, party leaders, and so on … So Pita is the next one, basically,” said Prof Thitinan, who added that the establishment forces working against Move Forward and Mr Pita are “very powerful”.

ROLE OF THE MILITARY

One of the things that the coalition parties have agreed to is to continue pursuing military reform, something which will worry the military as they undergo a change of leadership in the next few months, said Prof Hewison.

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2023-07-05 07:00:00Z
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Singapore urges all parties to de-escalate tensions amid violence in Israel and West Bank - CNA

SINGAPORE: Singapore "remains deeply concerned" over the recent escalation of violence in Israel and the West Bank, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement on Tuesday (Jul 5).

"We are saddened by the loss of civilian lives and urge all parties to de-escalate tensions and take the necessary steps to prevent further civilian casualties," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement on Wednesday (Jul 5).

"We also condemn all acts of terror, which cannot be justified. Both Israelis and Palestinians deserve to live in peace and security."

There are currently no reports of Singaporeans affected by the attacks, it added.

Israeli forces on Monday began one of the biggest military operations in the occupied West Bank for years, one which the army labelled an "extensive counterterrorism effort".

It targeted the northern city of Jenin and featured armoured vehicles, army bulldozers and drones.

The army said it was aimed at destroying militant infrastructure and weapons in the Jenin refugee camp. More than 1,000 troops were deployed.

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2023-07-05 07:13:00Z
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Japan to prepare for August start of Fukushima water release: Report - CNA

TOKYO: The Japanese government is looking to start the release of treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant as early as August after receiving a stamp of approval from the UN's nuclear watchdog, the Nikkei reported.

In a major milestone for the process of decommissioning the power plant destroyed in the massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Tuesday (Jul 4) said a two-year review showed Japan's plans for the water release were consistent with global safety standards.

Tokyo had said in January that it planned to start pumping the water into the ocean "around spring to summer" but has not specified a date pending official approval from the national nuclear regulatory body, expected as early as this week.

With the IAEA's endorsement, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Tuesday his country would aim to gain acceptance both domestically and internationally.

Local Japanese fishing unions have long opposed the plan, saying it would undo work to repair reputational damage after several countries banned some Japanese food products for fear of radiation.

Some neighbouring countries have also raised concern over the threat to the environment, with Beijing emerging as the biggest critic.

Japan says the water has been filtered to remove most radioactive elements except for tritium, an isotope of hydrogen that is difficult to separate from water. The treated water will be diluted to well below internationally approved levels of tritium before being released into the Pacific.

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2023-07-04 22:48:56Z
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Taiwan presidential frontrunner says he can keep peace with China - CNA

TAIPEI: Leading Taiwan presidential candidate William Lai wrote in the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday (Jul 5) that he could keep the peace with China if elected, reiterating his willingness for talks without preconditions and a pledge to boost defences.

Lai, Taiwan's vice president and the candidate for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), has consistently led the majority of opinion polls ahead of the January election. President Tsai Ing-wen cannot run again after two terms in office.

In a commentary piece, Lai said that despite the military and economic challenges from China, including China's almost daily aerial incursions near the island, his top priorities remained pragmatism and consistency.

"I will support the cross-strait status quo - which is in the best interests of both the Republic of China, as Taiwan is formally known, and the international community. I will never rule out the possibility of dialogue without preconditions, based on the principles of reciprocity and dignity," he added.

Lai said he would continue with Tsai's plan to boost Taiwan's defences, such as spending more on the military, adding that these measures reduce the risk of war by raising the stakes and costs for Beijing.

"I will seek greater cooperation with partners and allies, particularly in training, force restructuring, civil defence and information sharing," he wrote.

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2023-07-05 02:44:00Z
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MOH prepared to release stockpile of N95 masks to pharmacies if haze causes shortage - CNA

HAZE SANCTUARIES

Ms Fu also said that she would take up a suggestion, raised by Member of Parliament Yip Hon Weng (PAP-Yio Chu Kang), to establish "haze sanctuaries" at community facilities.

These sanctuaries could be open to senior citizens who do not have N95 masks, air purifiers or air conditioners in their homes, Mr Yip suggested.

Ms Fu said the ministry was considering making residents' committee centres as well as air-conditioned rooms in community centres available to some segments of the population in the event of haze.

MP Liang Eng Hwa (PAP-Bukit Panjang) then asked about the progress of discussions with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Indonesia on transboundary haze.

Haze in the Southeast Asian region due to forest fires in Indonesia has been a perennial problem over the past decades.

Representatives from five ASEAN member states - Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand - met to discuss the issue in June.

Ms Fu said there was general agreement with her ASEAN counterparts about the risk of a drier El Nino setting in for the next few months.

"There's also good discussions about fire detection and monitoring," she said, adding that there was "common intention and objective" to manage forest fires and haze that may arise from them.

"We have a good understanding about the assistance that Singapore would have offered to the countries as well, should the need arise."

The ministers hoped to come to a conclusion leading to the launch of the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control later this year, she added.

Ms Fu also said discussions with Indonesia have been positive, and that significant effort has been put in by the Indonesian government on monitoring, regulatory and fire-fighting efforts.

"Of course, we are helped by good weather in the last few years. But this year, again, I think that there's common affirmation of the need to monitor the dry season carefully, and also to act quickly to fight fires."

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2023-07-05 05:22:00Z
CBMiaGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vc2luZ2Fwb3JlL2hhemUtbjk1LW1hc2stc3RvY2twaWxlLXBoYXJtYWN5LXNob3J0YWdlLWFpci1wdXJpZmllci0zNjA2ODc20gEA