Department of Forensic Medicine

Department of Forensic Medicine

Forensic medicine is the study of the causes of death in various corpses. It involves identifying individuals by gender, age, and race, determining the cause of death (suicide, homicide, accidental death), and examining the type and extent of injuries, the time elapsed since death, and the relationship between trauma and the cause of death. Forensic medicine contributes to the maintenance of public order by recognizing the facts of a crime, identifying victims through bloodstains, hair, semen, and psychiatric evaluations of suspects, and thereby presuming the identity of the perpetrator. It also contributes to the exoneration of innocent suspects and the prevention of similar crimes. Furthermore, forensic medicine addresses various legal issues, including disputes over the cause of death arising from insurance claims, traffic accidents, and industrial accidents, from a medical perspective. Along with the prevention of acute infectious diseases, it is considered a national medical discipline.

Jeonbuk National University's Department of Forensic Medicine currently consists of two professors, one teaching assistant, and one medical technician. Under the direction of the prosecution, it conducts over 100 autopsies annually, commissioned by the police. He also teaches forensic medicine at both undergraduate and graduate levels of medical school and offers several special lectures on forensic medicine, including a forensic science course for investigators.