



By Kim Hyun-bin







More Koreans are choosing to "die with dignity" as nearly 60,000 people have refused "meaningless" life-prolonging treatments over the past 18 months, according to a recent document from the health ministry, Sunday.







The Death with Dignity Law took effect on Feb. 4, 2018, allowing patients or their family members to refuse or request the suspension of four life-sustaining medical treatments, and since then, 58,398 have decided to do so. The four treatments ― cardiopulmonary resuscitation, artificial ventilation, hemodialysis and anti-cancer drug administration ― are only meant to prolong life and do not provide treatment.







Among those removed from life support 35,176 were men and 23,222 women. The decision to halt life-sustaining treatment was mostly decided by family members.







In over 32 percent of the cases, the decision was made by two or more family members, while 34.7 percent received permission from all family members and in 32.1 percent of cases the patient decided on their own.







The data also showed close to 300,000 people have so far signed up to make end-of-life choices for themselves in the event that they become terminally ill.









