President Kang Soon-hie of Korea Workers’ Compensation and Welfare Service (COMWEL).

A nurse assistant who was paralyzed after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine in March has been recognized as a victim of an occupational accident, Korea Workers’ Compensation and Welfare Service (COMWEL) said.

The nurse assistant became paralyzed and was later diagnosed with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord.

The decision came after an occupational disease confirmation committee delivered the nurse assistant’s request for compensation.

The committee is a body responsible for deliberating occupational accidents, established at COMWEL under a tripartite deal among labor, management and government.

The committee convened a seven-member committee comprising infectious disease, environmental medicine and legal experts to determine whether she was an occupational accident victim on Aug. 4.

The nurse was recognized as an occupational accident victim since she received a vaccine shot within her worksite, and her vaccination was related to her occupation, considering the fact she could not perfume her duties without the inoculation.

She had no underlying and genetic diseases which could cause an irregular reaction from the vaccination, and timely connectivity between her vaccination and abnormal reactions were recognized.

COMWEL President Kang Soon-hie said, “We’ll fully protect occupational disease workers by examining requests on not only abnormal reactions that could occur in COVID-19 vaccination but also future new occupational diseases and delivering judgment in an objective and fair fashion.”

Korea Workers’ Compensation and Welfare Service has introduced a wearable rehab robot to assist patients’ rehab treatment. (Photos: COMWEL)

Korea Workers’ Compensation and Welfare Service held the 5th General Meeting of Asia Workers Compensation Association (AWCA) in Seoul Best Western Garden Hotel on June 18. It was held online due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thirteen occupational insurance operators and watchdog institutions from 10 countries in Asia participate in AWCA. COMWEL, the first chair institution of AWCA, had been serving as the 4th chair of AWCA since 2018.

Korea Workers’ Compensation and Welfare Service hosted the 5th General Meeting of Asia Workers Compensation Association (AWCA) in Seoul Best Western Garden Hotel online on June 18.

COMWEL played a part in the inauguration of AWCA. COMWEL launched an association designed to exchange information on the institutional and operational reform of occupational insurance systems and promoting mutual cooperation in the Asian region in 2012. AWCA held four general meetings since its establishment.

COMWEL, the 4th AWCA chair, held an international seminar celebrating the 55th anniversary of introducing Korea’s occupational disease insurance and AWCA’s Seoul meeting.