Kim Bong-han (; born 1916) was a North Korean medical surgeon at
Pyongyang Medical University and Kyung-Rak institute (KRI). He is primarily known for his research on a proposed mechanism for
acupuncture
Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine and a component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in which thin needles are inserted into the body. Acupuncture is a pseudoscience; the theories and practices of TCM are not based on scient ...
that was not accepted by the mainstream medical community that has come to be called the "primo-vascular system".
He received the
People's Prize for his research. The primo-vascular system was claimed to be scientifically confirmed in 2002, but the matter remains controversial. In 1966, the Kyung-Rak institute was closed and Kim disappeared.
Early life and education
Kim Bong-han was born in 1916.
He obtained his medical degree from
Seoul National University
Seoul National University (SNU; ) is a national public research university located in Seoul, South Korea. Founded in 1946, Seoul National University is largely considered the most prestigious university in South Korea; it is one of the thr ...
in 1946.
After the
Korean War
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Korean War
, partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict
, image = Korean War Montage 2.png
, image_size = 300px
, caption = Clockwise from top: ...
broke out, Kim, who was a physiologist based in South Korea, crossed over to North Korea,
leaving his family behind.
Prior to his arrival in North Korea, Kim was affiliated with the
Korea Democratic Party
The Korea Democratic Party (, KDP) was the leading opposition party in the first years of the First Republic of Korea. It existed from 1945 to 1949, when it merged with other opposition parties.
The U.S. military government has defined the ...
.
Primo-vascular system
Kim claimed the existence of the ''Chin-Lo'', ''Kyungrak'', or ''Bonghan'' system, a system of pathways which he proposed form a basis for
acupuncture points
This article provides a comprehensive list of acupuncture points, locations on the body used in acupuncture, acupressure, and other treatment systems based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
Locations and basis
More than four hundred ...
and
meridians. In 2010, South Korean researchers recognized the same system as the "primo-vascular system".
There is no credible scientific evidence that these structures exist, however.
While working as director of
North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and ...
's Kyung-Rak institute (KRI) from 1962 to 1965, Kim published five articles in the ''Journal of Jo Sun Medicine'', about acupuncture, the Kyungrak system, and the "Sanal" theory. These articles form the basis of the proposed primo-vascular system, which attracted some interest as late as in the early 2010s.
The
North Korean government
In the North Korean government, the Cabinet is the administrative and executive body. The North Korean government consists of three branches: administrative, legislative, and judicial. However, they are not independent of each other, but all b ...
supported Kim's research by supplying his team with various analytical instruments such as
microscope
A microscope () is a laboratory instrument used to examine objects that are too small to be seen by the naked eye. Microscopy is the science of investigating small objects and structures using a microscope. Microscopic means being invisibl ...
s and
radioactive tracer
A radioactive tracer, radiotracer, or radioactive label is a chemical compound in which one or more atoms have been replaced by a radionuclide so by virtue of its radioactive decay it can be used to explore the mechanism of chemical reactions by t ...
s, most of which were imported from
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is a subregion of the European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic connotations. The vast majority of the region is covered by Russia, wh ...
.
He was awarded the
People's Prize for his work on 2 February 1962.
Kim's book ''On the Kyungrak system'' was originally simultaneously published in Korean and Chinese languages in 1963.
Disappearance
In 1966, the Kyung-Rak research institute was shut down. , Kim's whereabouts thereafter remain unknown.
Works
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See also
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List of people who disappeared mysteriously
Lists of people who disappeared include those whose current whereabouts are unknown, or whose deaths are unsubstantiated. Many people who disappear are eventually declared dead ''in absentia''. Some of these people were possibly subjected to enfo ...
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Traditional Korean medicine
Traditional Korean medicine (known in North Korea as Koryo medicine) refers to the forms of traditional medicine practiced in Korea.
History
Korean medicine traditions originated in ancient and prehistoric times and can be traced back as far a ...
References
Further reading
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kim, Bong-han
1916 births
Possibly living people
Date of birth missing (living people)
Place of birth missing (living people)
1960s missing person cases
20th-century North Korean scientists
Acupuncturists
Missing people
North Korean scientists
Seoul National University alumni
South Korean defectors
South Korean emigrants to North Korea