Medication costs rise 1.6-fold in 5 years

Korea faces an urgent need to lower spending on drugs and curb the rising cost of health care.

In Korea, drug expenses account for an exceptionally large share of health care expenditure.

According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, drug expenses totaled 11.7 trillion won in 2009, accounting for 29.6 percent of its total expenditure of 39.4 trillion won.

Drug spendi...