Health Disparities in Contemporary Korean Society

The prolonged coronavirus crisis has heightened the global awareness of the significance of healthcare industry in each country. This heightened awareness calls for more active research on medical industry and healthcare system not only by medical scientists, but also by social scientists. Given this newly emerging phenomenon, this edited book is very timely. The book examines healthcare disparities in South Korea based on social class, occupation, ethnicity, gender, and age. I believe the book will be of great help to social scientists who conduct research on healthcare disparities in South Korea.

-- Pyong Gap Min, Queens College and the Graduate Center, CUNY

Health consequences of dramatic social and economic changes that Korea has undergone over the past decades are not well understood for non-Korean readers. Health Disparities in Contemporary Korean Society: Issues and Subpopulations, edited by Sou Hyun Jang and Joong-Hwan Oh, successfully compiles 15 essential studies to provide comprehensive understandings of healthcare and healthcare utilization, as well as health differentials across various subgroups in Korea. While most chapters are empirical studies for an academic audience, this book should also be of great interest for a broad audience interested in health and well-being in Korea – a rapidly aging society with growing inequality.

-- Hyeyoung Woo, Portland State Univer