【コラム】その他の国々③韓国―End-of-life Care in Korea：Current Situation

Although the severity of illness of hospitalized patients has progressively increased during recent decades, sophisticated technological support has allowed such patients to survive longer. It is now accepted that continued aggressive care may not always be beneficial in Western countries. However, little attention has been paid to the proper care for the dying person in Korea where more than half of deaths occurs in medical facilities^1）, especially general hospitals.

　This article will review ethical considerations and law related issues in Korea and introduce a protocol for discontinuing life-sustaining treatments （LST' s） in the ICU used in Severance Hospital.