U.S. blasted over S. Korean drug policy

SEOUL, July 18 (UPI) -- The leader of South Korea's political opposition on Thursday accused the U.S. government of pressuring South Korea to scrap a reference pricing policy proposed for its national health insurance program aimed at discouraging the use of expensive imported drugs. Rep. Kim Hong-shin, leader of the Grand National Party, made the accusation amid reports that a South Korean health minister had been sacked due to lobbying activities of multinational pharmaceutical firms against the proposed medical policy.