Leprosy is rather endemic in Korea, where the disease has been feared and disliked by most of the people. In 1948, author, for control of the disease in shorter periods of time, proposed to utilize patients own labor capacity based on the medical aspects, their labor ability and sociological factors. So-called "Campaign for Hope Village Movement" which was launched that year under the leadership of the Korean Leprosy Association was based on author´s proposal for "A Classification of Leprosy Patients by Labor Capacity".
Thereafter in 1953, clinical use of sulfone derivative, D.D.S. (Diamino-diphenyl sul￢fone) was begun for the patients in all leprosaria in Korea. In 1958, curability of the disease with D.D.S. was internationally accepted with the recognition at the 7th International Congress of Leprology.
In those days, under the Compulsory Segregation Law, leprosy patients in Korea were still forced to reside in leprosaria in spite of the fact that a considerable number of patients were in the state of cure with labor capacity for self-support,
These circumstances, scientific and sociological progress in the field, made author devise "A Classification of Leprosy Patients for Their Social Rehabilitation" to let leprosy problem emerge out of the dark shadows of the past. This new classification was derived from "Classification by Labor Capacity" which was proposed in 1948. This new classification was based on clinical, bacteriological, epidemiological and sociological data which were derived from the results of survey by author under the direction of Dr. Joon Lew, Professor of Microbiology Department.
Its value and usefulness in the field were discussed in detail in the following chapters.
Chapter 1
Epidemiological Studies of Leprosy in 1948
Around 1945, after liberation of Korea from the Japanese administration, many wandering patients became a nationwide problem which demanded an immediate.
Chapter 3 Re-ciassification of Leprosy Institutions
Based on these data, re-classification of leprosy institutions was proposed;
1. Hospitals for bacteriologically positive cases (Class j , 1f and Ill of positive patients).
2. Hospitals for disabled cases (bacteriologically positive and negative Class IV and V).
3. Hospitals for corrective surgery cases (bacteriologically negative Class H , - M or Class I ). After surgical correction. they are to be sent to Resettlement Villages.
4. Resettlement Villages for bacteriologically negative Class 1 and II( 5. Society for bacteriologically negative Class I.
The above-mentioned "Campaign for Resettlement Villages" made total of 10, 007 cases gather and engage in self-supporting living in 65 Resettlement Villages in Korea. This campaign not only gave leprosy patients self-maintaining and self-supporting life but also reduced the national budgets considerably for the control of the disease. This resettlement projects are to be expanded more in near future and are to have attention of International Congress of Leprology.
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