A Prerequisite for Social Consensus: Knowing What We Do not Know*

Abstract

We strongly agree with the feature paper’s argument concerning the need for better discussions and a social consensus concerning end-of-life medical care. We also insist that there is a lack of empirical research related to end-of-life care in Korean society and that greater investment in relevant research is a prerequisite for productive discussion and consensus-building. Unfortunately, many of the premises in the Life-sustaining Treatment Decision Act of 2016 were not subjected to any critical analysis or empirical testing. In this article, we argue that empirical studies should be conducted concerning what Korean citizens?individually and collectively?know or believe, and also what we do not know, concerning issues and unmet needs around end-of-life care and social support in South Korea.