Daewoong Pharmaceutical Supports North Korean Defectors with AI-Based Personalized Health Screenings

Daewoong Pharmaceutical is accelerating its ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) management practices by supporting the healthy resettlement of North Korean defectors through digital healthcare technology.

Daewoong Pharmaceutical and a volunteer group consisting of three digital health companies (Medical AI, Exo Systems, and EverX) are taking a group photo for the "Digital Healthcare ESG Medical Volunteer Service." Daewoong Pharmaceutical

On September 24, Daewoong Pharmaceutical announced that it had conducted an "ESG Digital Health Medical Volunteer Service" for 73 North Korean defectors at the Ansan City Hall Annex 4th-floor conference room in Gyeonggi Province on August 30.

North Korean defectors are more vulnerable to health issues than the general population due to chronic malnutrition experienced since childhood, untreated chronic diseases, and physical and psychological trauma from the defection process. In addition, a lack of understanding of the health insurance system, financial burdens, and cultural barriers often prevent them from receiving timely medical treatment.

This medical volunteer service marks the third such activity, following events held in Yukdo in June and Daebudo in August. While previous activities focused on providing basic medical care and daily support for elderly residents in island regions, this initiative emphasized helping North Korean defectors "settle healthily into South Korean society" by offering systematic check-ups and consultations.

The volunteer group at the event included Daewoong Pharmaceutical and three digital health companies (Medical AI, Exo Systems, and EverX). They utilized wearable medical devices to collect and analyze precise health data, and based on these findings, provided personalized consultations and preventive care strategies.

The main devices used included: ▲ the heart failure diagnostic support software "AiTiA LVSD," ▲ the sarcopenia analysis solution "EXOMED-DeepSARC," and ▲ the musculoskeletal analysis software "MORA Fit," demonstrating the full deployment of the latest digital technologies.

The results of the check-ups revealed that a significant number of participants showed warning signs regarding their health. Musculoskeletal analysis using the "MORA Fit" device found that about 29% of participants exhibited postural imbalance, indicating a potential risk of future pain or muscle and joint weakness. Additionally, the sarcopenia test using "EXOMED-DeepSARC" classified approximately 13.7% of participants as being at risk for insufficient muscle mass, highlighting the need for early intervention. Accordingly, the event provided personalized guidance on exercise and nutrition management, and participants were directed to receive further examinations or medical consultations at hospitals for accurate diagnosis and treatment.

This initiative is significant in that it introduced a new paradigm of "AI-based personalized management" for populations such as North Korean defectors who are in medical blind spots. All devices used for heart failure, sarcopenia, and musculoskeletal screenings are equipped with AI analysis functions, enabling automatic interpretation of collected data and early detection of abnormal signals. This allows for individualized consultations and lifestyle improvements tailored to each participant.

Furthermore, by identifying conditions such as postural imbalance and sarcopenia-which are often overlooked in conventional screenings-at an early stage, the initiative demonstrated that a preventive, precision health management system can be implemented on-site, moving beyond simple one-time support. Such efforts are expected to reduce the health vulnerabilities of North Korean defectors and serve as a meaningful stepping stone toward long-term social integration.

Cho Byungha, Head of Digital Healthcare at Daewoong Pharmaceutical, stated, "This event is a model example of Daewoong Pharmaceutical’s ESG management, which seeks to solve local issues by combining social responsibility with advanced technology. We will continue to expand our social contribution activities in cooperation with our partners, practice ESG values in everyday life, and further strengthen trust with the local community."

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