Korean J Med Hist.  2005 Jun;14(1):1-31.

YANG Bong-keun as a Health Reformer and a Pioneer of Social Medicine

• Shin YJ
• Yoon HJ

Abstract

YANG Bong-keun (1897-1982) had lived as a medical doctor and a social and public health reformer during the turbulent period of the port to the western society occupation by and liberation from Japan and the partition of the Korean Peninsular He actively participated in the March First Movement Shinganhoe and other activities for Korea's liberation from Japan. He also founded Bogunwoondongsa an organization for public health movement for Korean people and published Bogeunwoondong. a magazine for introducing and educating new ideas and knowledge of health for Korean people. After the defeat of Japan in the World War II he worked for the protection and repatriation of Korean residents in the Manjoo area as a head of policy division of the Northeastern office of the Korean Provisional Government He also participated in the foundation of Yanbian Hospital and medical school for Korean-Chinese in China His holistic approach of health and public health movement accentuation of preventive medicine and a body under his/her own will public health movement as a part of everyday life movement and minjoong oriented humanism were closely linked with the idea of social medicine that originated from the European society in the 19th century. Those are also valuable ideas to be considered and implemented in this time Moreover his effort of health for Korean people on the way of modernization and liberation of Korea provides an example of being a respectable health reformer and pioneer of social medicine

Keyword

YANG Bong-keun; Public Health Movement; Social Medicine; Occupation Period by Japan