[Science World] The Frozen Land of the Poles, a 'Treasure Trove of Medicine'

In South Korea, there exists a group of medical professionals and life scientists specializing in the polar regions, namely the Antarctic and the Arctic. This organization is called the Korea Polar Medical Society.

The polar regions are easily recognized as treasure troves of science and technology. Especially in atmospheric and temperature research, the polar regions have become a core area. Weather in the polar regions, where external influences such as human activities can be excluded, allows for precise observation of changes in the Earth's temperature. The snow and ice layers accumulated over hundreds of millions of years serve as a barometer revealing the changes the Earth has undergone. The unique environment of the polar regions also gives rise to various research topics that are difficult to pursue in everyday settings. In the vast icy plains of Antarctica, meteorites from space can be found rolling around. In addition to various marine resources, enormous amounts of oil, natural gas, and mineral resources are also deposited there.

But what does it mean that the Antarctic and Arctic can be called "treasures of medicine"? Initially, the reason medical personnel went to the polar regions was to manage the health of expedition members. If health problems arise among personnel living in isolated bases in extreme regions, on-site treatment is the best option. As experience with these special situations accumulated over decades, a new trend began to emerge. The harsh and unique environment called the "polar regions," along with the steadily accumulated data there, is now gaining value as an advanced resource to prepare for future societies, according to experts in the field.

For example, the advanced "remote collaborative medical system" was rapidly put into practical use in Antarctica. It is impossible for a doctor at the base to know all medical technologies. There have been ongoing concerns about difficulties in responding to various situations, so the Polar Research Institute developed and introduced a dedicated remote collaborative medical system specialized for the polar field sites in the Arctic and Antarctic. To monitor patients' vital signs, it is equipped with five types of medical measurement devices: △electronic stethoscope △glucometer △blood pressure monitor △medical magnifier △electrocardiograph, as well as a video camera. The special environment of Antarctica has influenced the advancement of cutting-edge medical care. There are countless similar cases. One doctor, while working as a physician in Antarctica, raised concerns about the mental health management of personnel residing in the closed base and presented research results showing that "artificial lighting" can minimize those side effects. This outcome is expected to be applicable to various future scenarios such as space exploration.

The roots of the Korea Polar Medical Society trace back to before 2014, ten years ago. It was formed by the spontaneous gathering of medical professionals and life science researchers who had visited the polar regions, including groups like the Polar Medical Research Association and the Wintering Medical Society. This was the origin of the Korea Polar Medical Society. Today, it dispatches medical personnel annually to Arctic and Antarctic exploration teams and wintering parties, collects related medical data, and dedicates itself to advanced medical research.

The Korea Polar Medical Society does not rest on its laurels but plans to continue conducting advanced medical research related to the polar regions. There has even been a proposal to make the King Sejong Station in Antarctica a "medical hub of Antarctica." Dr. Han-Gyeom Kim, director of the testing laboratory "Kai Lab" at Hanaro Medical Foundation, attended the "Arctic Week" event held last month in Busan and stated, "King George Island, where the King Sejong Station is located, is the closest point in Antarctica to the civilized world (South America), and there are eight permanent stations from countries including Argentina, Russia, Chile, and Poland. If we provide diagnostic services such as X-rays and computed tomography (CT) scans to them, we will be able to secure vivid polar medical data from diverse countries and ethnicities."

Seungmin Jeon, Science and Technology Writer

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.