Valid Technology Group

Legacy information, created by Edward Kuroki (黒木嗣也) and published as part of a series of reports by JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization) titled "VENTURE BUSINESS FRONT LINE" between 2001 and 2011, holds significant potential.

These reports could offer invaluable insights into the past, helping us to better understand the present and chart a course for the future. By effectively utilizing this valuable resource, we can strive to create a more informed, just, and sustainable world for generations to come.

For more information, please contact Eddie -- validtechnology@gmail.com

Venture Business Front Line, published by
JETRO - Japan External Trade Organization

https://www.jetro.go.jp/static/jetro/japan/yamagata/mail/mm_vbfl11.txt

Produced by JETRO Yamagata

Last update 2011.02.15

This report contains Japanese characters

that may not be viewable on some computers.

In order to view these characters, open the document

with your browser and proceed to encode it for Japanese.

********************************************************************

2011.02.15

Venture Business Front Line - No. 147

“Dr. Grace Wonja Kim, Amazing Grace”

by Edward Kuroki

Dr. Grace Wonja Kim is a native of Korea and a physician who has been

practicing medicine for over 30 years in America. She is perhaps

someone who heals people with the influence or spirit of God. She

goes beyond just practicing medicine. Her patient care delivery is an

extension of her “calling” as a MD. I had the opportunity to

interview her on her amazing life and career, during which she gave

her honest and straightforward thoughts on modern medicine and the

world based on her own experience.

[KUROKI] You were born and raised, and received a medical degree from

one of the most prestigious schools -- Ewha Womans University in Seoul,

South Korea [1]. What motivated you to pursue the medical field and

what made you come to the United States? Family influences? Personal

aspirations?

[DR. GRACE KIM] I was brought up in a medical family. My father was a

doctor, my brother is a doctor, and so was grandfather's brother. My

mother also worked in the medical field as a Nurse in Korea.

My father received his MD from Seoul National University Medical

School when Korea was occupied by Japan, a Ph.D. from Tokyo

University, and then a Master's degree in Public Health from Columbia

University. He served as a personal physician for President Park

Chung-hee of South Korea for more than 10 years, and at the same time

he was involved in many philanthropic projects. After he had practiced

for 35 years in Korea, he was invited to Hokkaido, Japan, as an

administrator at a regional hospital and worked there for several

years, then he came to America to work at John Hopkins Hospital.

After that, he retired in Virginia, and lived with my mother until

he died at the age of 95.

My brother went to Korea University Medical School [2], and came to

the U.S., did his Residency in OB-GYN at Beth Israel Hospital, which

is one of the teaching hospitals for Harvard Medical School. At that

time, he encouraged me to come to Boston.

Actually, since I was very young, my dream was to become an opera

singer like Maria Callas. But my father had encouraged me to have

practical skills that will secure my spiritual and professional goals.

At that time, he told me that I can always sing no matter what I

decided to do in my life.

In reality, I was impressed by the work he was engaged in as a

medical doctor, helping many people from different economic and

political backgrounds. He taught me the importance of developing

open-mindedness towards everyone, which eventually led me to come

the U.S.

[KUROKI] You have recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of your

medical practice in Andover, Massachusetts, specializing in Family

Medicine [3]. What are some of the challenges you have faced during

those years?

[DR. GRACE KIM] Medicine has changed a lot during the past 30 years,

so have people in general. For example, 20-30 years ago I had

prescribed much less medication to my patients, but now people

have less patience and want a quick fix for everything, and

pharmaceutical companies spend millions of dollars on marketing and

advertisement. It became illegal now but pharmaceutical companies used

to bribe doctors to sell their products. At the same time, insurance

companies require so much paper work from doctors. More importantly,

in older days, doctors spent more time to understand patients with

their problems, now it is common for some doctors to prescribe, for

example, anti-depression or anti-anxiety medicine after only few

minutes of consultation.

Many patients come to see me with common cold symptom, upper

respiratory infection, head cold, sore throat, coughing, etc. For that,

patients generally don't need antibiotics. They need to simply take hot

tea, hot soup, hot shower or bath and plenty of rest in more natural

and old- fashioned way. Most people underestimate the power of natural

healing ? the human body has its own defense mechanism to get better

when it gets sick. By taking overly prescribed medicine, our natural

resistance to disease will be weakened.

So, I try to recommend holistic approach that incorporates relaxation,

introspection and providing positive thinking to my patients. By

avoiding hasty over-medication and focusing on the person as a whole,

we are more likely to discover the real cause of the illness, instead

of temporarily getting rid of some symptoms.

[KUROKI] You have approximately several thousands multi-ethnic

multi-generation patients. What are some of the common changes in

health problems you have noticed among them over the past 30 years?

[DR. GRACE KIM] One of the most common changes in health problems I

have noticed, not only in adults but especially in young people, is

obesity resulting in serious medical problems. Obesity is one of the

prime causes of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, leading to

metabolic syndrome. This is the biggest public health problem in this

country for many years to come. We must address this issue and I

believe this has to start early as an individual family unit and then

proceed at the school level.

Another significant change and problem is the rise in emotional

problems among young people as a result of the disintegration of

structured moral discipline in society, over-exposure to

inappropriate and wrong information via the Internet - particularly

through social networking sites.

I see young patients who were traumatized by all sorts of addiction,

bullying, wrist slicing, etc., which lead them to attempting suicide.

Many of them were influenced by the information that they obtained

from the Internet and social networking sites.

I believe that the parental guidance is very important, but sadly,

it is very difficult to implement because of the fast-paced,

materialistic, stressful way of our current lifestyle.

[KUROKI] Among your patients and local residents, you are known for

your love and compassion to help people in need. What is your

philosophy for life in general?

[DR. GRACE KIM] I would like to consider myself to be a healer who

shares love and happiness with my patients. I believe that all human

beings are created equal and we are all connected to one another.

I would like to reach my full potential as a human being in this

lifetime, and fully enjoy every day on this beautiful planet.

Some of my patients have had very little formal education, but I am

always learning from their life long experience every time I see them

by being open-minded and non-judgmental. Doctors and patients learn

from each other through human contact, and what we learn from each

other is real wisdom … not something that we learn from books or

from the Internet.

[KUROKI] Lastly, you indicated an interest in writing a book after you

retire from your practice. What would you like your children to

remember about you?

[DR. GRACE KIM] I want them to remember me as a hardworking, selfless

and compassionate physician who was simply happy by helping people get

better and comfortable. At the same time, I want them to remember me

as a doctor who loved life and music such as singing and playing the

piano.

[1] http://www.ewha.ac.kr/english/

[2] http://www.korea.edu/

[3] https://picasaweb.google.com/edkuroki/09012010DrKim?authkey=Gv1sRgCP7X25-M6eDbwwE&feat=directlink

To obtain the entire content of this interview, please contact the

author.

Contact: Edward Kuroki

ACKNOWLEDGMENT: Editorial and research assistance was provided by

Freyja Sanger, and Michiko Kuroki.

【日本語要旨】

金元子医学博士・家族医療医師

博愛精神に溢れる医者の家庭に生まれ育ち、大韓民国第5～9代大統領・朴正煕

（パク・チョンヒ)の専任医師等を務めた父の影響を大きく受け自ら医者とな

り、渡米して30年以上マサチューセッツ州アンドーバー町で家族医療医師とし

て数千人以上の患者を診続けるDr. Grace Wonja Kim (金元子)から、病める

米国の大動向と解決策を聞いた。金医師は、全てにおいて”Quick Fix (一時

しのぎの解決策)”を求め与える現代社会に起因する肉体的精神的疾患に関し

て、親が子供に手本を示すことの大切さを強調する。

バリッド・テクノロジー・グループ代表黒木嗣也 ( くろき・つぐなり )

********************************************************************

2011.01.17

Venture Business Front Line - No. 146

【日本語要旨】

2011年消費者動向

今回は前号に続き、世界規模でビジネス・消費者動向を研究分析する

trendwatching.com社が発表した"11 CRUCIAL CONSUMER TRENDS FOR 2011"

(2011年の重大消費者動向11項目)の詳細一部(関連概念と事例)を掲載する。

各項目は、最新の消費者動向を反映した英語による造語を含む。従って、和訳

は直訳ではなく意訳である。歴史的また統計的に、このような動向が日本でも

見られるのは時間の問題である。各事例を見ることにより、詳細を検討し役立

てて欲しい。

1. RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS - 潜在する消費者の必要性を探し出す為大量に

蓄積された個人・企業情報を分析(データマイニング)し、消費者の購買を誘引

する事を目的とした計画的親切行為

関連概念: GENERATION G (気前の良い世代) -

http://trendwatching.com/trends/generationg/

事例 1: Interflora (生花配達業) - http://www.interflora.co.uk/

事例 2: KLM's 'How Happiness Spreads' (KLMオランダ航空) -

http://www.facebook.com/KLM?v=app_6009294086

2. URBANOMICS - 都市集中型生活様式の発展に伴う消費者構造の変化

事例 1: Smirnoff's Absolute Cities (スミノフ・ウオッカ)

事例 2: BMW Megacity vehicle (BMW製巨大都市用車) -

http://www.worldcarfans.com/109032018025/bmw-megacity-hybrid-vehicle-announced-at-annual-meeting

3. PRICING PANDEMONIUM - 消費者間の瞬時情報交換技術の活用に伴う商品価

格の大戦争

関連概念: NOWISM (目先中心主義) - http://trendwatching.com/trends/nowism/

Group buying (共同購入) -- Groupon, Living Social, GoNabit, Big Lion,

Daily Deal, Taobao, Walmart

事例 1: Groupon - http://www.groupon.com/subscriptions/new?division_p=boston

事例 2: Living Social - http://livingsocial.com/

事例 3: GoNabit - http://www.gonabit.com/dubai/

事例 4: Big Lion - http://www.biglion.ru/moscow/

事例 5: Daily Deal - http://dailydeal.de/

事例 6: Taobao - http://www.taobao.com/index_global.php

Member sales (会員販売) -- yente-privee.com, Gilt Groupe, iDeeli,

Jetsetter, One Kings Lane