Legal Aspects of the Application of the Lay Rescuer Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) Program in South Korea

The American Heart Association has stated that the automatic external defibrillator (AED) is a promising method for achieving rapid defibrillation, and emphasized that AED training and use should be available in every community. The demonstrated safety and effectiveness of the AED make it ideally suited for the delivery of early defibrillation by trained laypersons, and the placement of AEDs in selected locations for immediate use by trained laypersons may enable critical intervention that can significantly increase survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The American Heart Association recommends the installation of AEDs in public locations such as airports, thus allowing laypersons to conduct defibrillation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the occasion of adverse cardiopulmonary events. In Korea, the Ministry of Health and Welfare officially prohibits the installation of AEDs in public locations on the grounds that cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation are understood as medical practices that can be conducted only by licensed medical practitioners. The purpose of this article is to discuss the necessity for AEDs and the appropriate process for their implementation in Korea, by examining the current pre-AED status of Korea and the relevant legal aspects.