KOREA: Korea’s Ministry of Health and Welfare yesterday announced that eight hospitals, including St. Mary’s Hospital in Seoul, were to be recognized by the Healthcare Accreditation System for their excellent services. The system aims to improve the quality of service and safeness provided by hospitals for the patients, ministry officials told ucanews.com. The accredited hospitals would receive administrative and financial support from the ministry, they said. The Korea Institute for Healthcare Accreditation posted its accreditation result on its website, to provide people with information about quality hospitals in the country. KO13055.1638