Medicine and other health-related expenses in downward trend

The nation's fast-aging population drove up medical and health care spending in 2008 despite declining medicine and other health-related expenses, according to data released by the Ministry of Health and Welfare Affairs on July 21.

The data showed that Korea’s medical and health care spending in 2008 amounted to 66.7 trillion won, up 7.9 percent compared with 61.8 trillion won from a year ea...