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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Jin-Su Choi¹, Sun Seog Kweon², Minho Shin², Eun-Kyung Jeong³, and Hyung-Cheol Park⁴. (1) School of Medicine Department of Preventive Medicine, Chonnam National University, 5 Hakdong, Gwangju, 501-190, South Korea, (82) 62 220 4162, jschoix@jnu.ac.kr, (2) School of Medicine Department of Preventive Medicine, Seonam University, 720 Gwangchidong, Namwon, Jeollabukdo, 590-711, South Korea, (3) Department of Medical Education, Chonnam National University Medical School, 5 Hak-1-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju, 501-190, South Korea, (4) Gwangju Donggu Health Center, 1 Donggucheongno, Dong-gu, Gwangju, 501-704, South Korea

During nineteen sixties, the powerful governmental birth control policy had been implemented in the war-stricken, underdeveloped South Korea which observed very rapid population expansion with annual increase rate of three percent. This birth control - family planning policy was well adopted to the people and South Korea was allegedly known as the one of the most successful countries in population control. The public health agency played a vital role in the family planning. The family planning frequently symbolized the public health. This public health policy had been persisted until late 1980s. Recently, however, with rapid industrialization and improved economic status, The country faces the completely different problems - too low fertility rate, rapid transition to aging society and workforce shortage. It enforced the government to reverse its population policy. The new policy aiming the population increase has been adopted. The policy utilized the public health agency again, but for the opposite way. It made public health workers somewhat bewildered since the senior members who were strong advocates of birth control should conduct their work in completely reversed way - in less than twenty years. We reviewed some critical issues in the context of principle and virtue of public health and of women's right.

Learning Objectives: After conclusion of the session, the participants will be able to

• Describe the complete policy reversal of family planning in South Korea.
• Discuss the possible dilemma of public health workers.

Keywords: Family Planning, Public Health Agency Roles

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered