Korean Job Discussion Forums

[bassexpander]

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/techscience/2009/09/29/0601000000AEN20090929003200320.HTML


That's a lot for Korea to admit to. Be careful out there, folks!

[exit86]

And, mind you, these are only "reported" cases.
Do you honestly think your average K. dude is willingly going to get tested
for HIV? Just asking the doctor about it may be construed as
an admission of philandering/whoring.
(Anyone have the article with the stat on the percentage of Korean men whose first sexual experience occured while in the military with
one of the thousands of prostitutes who set up shop just outside the
K. military bases???? I wish I still had the article, because it was scary!)


Be VERY careful folks!

[redaxe]

6,499 out of 48 million is a TINY TINY fraction. We're talking like 0.0001%.

Also, female-to-male transmission via heterosexual intercourse is not really one of the major ways the virus is transmitted. HIV is certainly a hazard of the job, but female prostitutes do not really go around spreading it to all their customers--especially if they use condoms which (so I hear) is the common practice in Korea.

Not trying to rationalize prostitution, just trying to discredit some of the misconceptions and paranoia that people have about prostitutes and HIV.


And exit86 why do you have any reason to believe that the ratio of unreported to reported cases is higher in Korea than anywhere else, other than your own (ignorant) personal views about what Korean men are like? The fact is, Korea is a very advanced country when it comes to medicine, it is very easy to get tested here, and a test for HIV and other blood-borne illnesses is a standard part of any comprehensive physical examination, which for your information major Korean companies provide to all their staff every year.

[ryoga013]

Someone is an apologist on crack...

[Joe666]

I'm going to have to side with ryoga on this one. I have talked to doctors and other medical professonals in regard to what I would consider common pharmaceuticals in the west and they had no idea what they were.

I"ll take South Korea over Niger any day, but in comparison to the west, it's still no contest. The area of Korea may play a huge part in the quality of medical care. Seoul has to be better than Busan.

[eIn07912]

ryoga and joe666 +1

redaxe it sounds like you haven't had much experience with the Korean medical institution. They are not as advanced as you want to believe. I often see nurses give shots and take blood sample without gloves, washing their hands, or swabbing the area. I've seen this at both private clinics and major hospitals. Much of the equipment many places use is also old our outdated. I had a minor operation last year and the operating room looked like something you'd see from a WWII movie. I was nervous to say the least.

While I still feel relatively comfortable getting treatments done here, meaning I would opt for Korean health care over almost any African, South East Asian, or even Chinese, I'd feel a hundred times better in an American or Canadian system.

This is one are I think I have some credit on. In the past few months I have made literally dozens of trips to hospitals and clinics getting my body into its optimal shape as well as preparing for a rather long backpacking expedition in central Asia.

As for the HIV stats, there's so much misinformation out there, you really can't trust any source. It's true places can be bribed to make it look like not as many people have it or it's not as dangerous. Places can also be bribed to do the opposite. If you think medicine is free from criminality you are sadly naive and mistaken. Some state hetero transmission is far lower than homosexual transmission. There are also many scientists and doctors that say HIV does not cause AIDS, that HIV combined with elevated drug use is the true cause. So, you can find research to back up almost anything. Even completely contradictory statements.

You shouldn't be trying to beat the odds or convince yourself you're not at risk. Everyone, EVERYONE, should be getting tested every 6 months. It's a practice I started when I was 20 years old and have maintained to this day, 6 years later. Yes, it can be expensive. But knowing is far less costly than not knowing. Always use protection. Never assume that you and your partner are in a monogamous relationship. Even if the two of you have discussed it, you can never fully trust someone, even a spouse, when it comes to sex.

I urge everyone to go get tested. Even if your results are clean, go and get tested again in a few months. Make it a habit. Make it apart of your life. Don't stop at HIV. Get it all done. Things like Hep C can be a silent killer if not treated early on. Women can suffer pregnancy issues that could damage the life of their child or future children by not treating curable disease like Chlamydia and Gonorrhea.

Be an adult. Be responsible. Don't put others at risk because you're afraid of the answer or you think you're smarter than doctors that devote their entire lives to studying these things. Get tested today!

[redaxe]

[Gibberish]

Use protection and don't share needles and you should be fine. Even if the reported number is multiplied by 10 for people who don't know, it's still a pretty safe bet. Still, be careful.

[eIn07912]

redaxe... so, I guess no one has ever cheated on their husband/wife and given them an STD? I suppose I'm just paranoid that people make mistakes all the time and lie about sleeping with other people.

If you think vaginal intercourse isn't as high a risk for contracting HIV than any other intercourse, then I invite you to start bedding down every club girl and hooker you see, bareback. After all, it's not like the vagina, a moist opening into the body, that is never completely closed off, could ever harbor bacteria or other diseases. We have to start being realistic about these things. I love sex just as much as the next guy, but there are probably twice as many or more of unreported STD's than there are reported. Women have a much higher probability of having multiple sexual partners than men. And I don't care if we've been married for 40 years and she comes from an ubber religious conservative background, there is always the chance that she could slip up and make a mistake. Just as much of a chance that I could do the same, even though I may be entirely committed to my wife in a loving and healthy relationship.

Every time, it's a risk. Every time.

[Gibberish]

Also, if people could trust each other and not be uncomfortable when talking about things like STDs and getting checked, it wouldn't be a problem. Before I ever stick it to a girl I always ask them if they've been checked and it's okay for us to get it on. It's not very romantic, but I'm still clear, and it's worth it. I suggest others do the same.

[D.D.]

Going to hookers is a common thing in Korea and using protection is not. Just ask one of your Korean mates. I would think because of the amount of cheating ( yes cheating is very common) and prostitution I would be very careful in Korea.

[ryoga013]

[thomas pars]

the article didnt say who was infected did it? i mean it could have been English teachers, or south asian workers. and i mean just 400 cases. hardly an epidemic.

[sigmundsmith]

[itaewonguy]

blame the dirty foreigners?