Daelim University Professor Shin Hee-baek Publishes Novel Technique for Speech-Language Pathology Treatment in Parkinson's Disease Patients in SCI-Grade International Journal

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Eom In-yong] The incidence of Parkinson's disease patients has increased significantly in recent years.

In line with this trend, South Korea's leading expert in treating speech disorders associated with Parkinson's disease has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Korean Parkinson's Association and is conducting special lectures at various universities, drawing considerable attention.

The person in question is Professor Shin Hee-baek of the Department of Speech-Language Pathology at Daelim University.

This news organization met with Professor Shin to conduct an in-depth analysis of the current status of Parkinson's disease.

The following is a Q&A; session

- Your doctoral dissertation was published in an SCI-grade international academic journal as a novel technique for speech-language pathology treatment in Parkinson's disease patients, correct?

"In one sentence, my research is about 'how to deliver the speech of Parkinson's disease patients to the listener in a clear state.' During my doctoral studies, I developed CSIP, or in Korean, the Clear Speech Intervention Program, and my first study targeting fifteen Parkinson's disease patients was published in 2022 in the 'International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology,' Volume 24, Issue 1.

It is a journal indexed in both SCIE and SSCI, and through 8 sessions of intervention over 4 weeks, speech intelligibility, intonation, intensity, and articulation all showed statistically significant improvements. Last year, I published the follow-up clinical research in the journal 'Communication Sciences & Disorders,' Volume 30, Issue 4, where I conducted 8 sessions over 4 weeks with eleven Parkinson's disease patients, and observed positive improvements in variables contributing to enhanced speech intelligibility."

- What kind of disease is Parkinson's disease?

"Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder in which nerve cells that produce dopamine in the brain gradually decrease. It is commonly known for hand tremors or slowed gait, but in fact, the same thing affects speech and voice. The voice becomes quieter, intonation becomes monotonous, and speech becomes rapid and slurred. Often, the voice signals problems before tremors do, yet this is not captured in the scale that divides the progression stages. I compared this to an iceberg. What is visible above water is tremor and rigidity, but what is submerged beneath the water is the diminished voice and slurred pronunciation. What makes it more difficult is that patients often don't realize it themselves. A patient feels they are speaking at volume 100, but in reality only 30 comes out. So when they come to therapy, they say things like: 'People ask me if I'm angry.' 'My grandchild won't come to Grandpa because he looks scary.' Since facial muscles also stiffen, all pathways for expressing emotions are blocked. You can think of it as the voice's instrument panel being set incorrectly, and speech-language rehabilitation is about recalibrating that panel."

- There is a trend of a sharp recent increase in Parkinson's disease patients. How would you compare global trends with domestic trends?

"Since age is the greatest risk factor for Parkinson's disease, it follows the pace of aging. According to the Global Burden of Disease study published in the British Medical Journal last year, the global patient population is predicted to increase from 11.9 million in 2021 to 25.2 million in 2050, an increase of approximately 112 percent.

Eighty-nine percent of the increase is attributed to aging, and East Asia is expected to have the highest number at 10.9 million. South Korea is no exception. According to data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, Parkinson's disease treatment patients increased from approximately 125,000 in 2020 to 143,000 in 2024, an increase of nearly 14 percent in just 4 years. Since we have entered a super-aged society, the pace will accelerate going forward.

However, what concerns me more is not the numbers themselves. Patients are increasing like this, but the workforce and systems to address speech and voice problems remain virtually unchanged. Medications and surgeries to address movement problems are advancing, but there is no one to handle the remaining 'speech problems.'"

- I understand you recently signed an MOU with the Korean Parkinson's Association and are giving special lectures at various universities?

"I signed a memorandum of understanding with the Korean Parkinson's Association on August 29, 2025. It is a comprehensive agreement covering low-cost speech-language rehabilitation services, research participation, student volunteer linkages, and expert special lectures.

The patients who participated in clinical research last year were also recruited through the association, and a notice titled 'Recruiting Participants for Parkinson's Disease Voice and Speech Research (Daelim University)' was posted on the association's homepage.

This year, twenty-four undergraduate students conducted mentoring together with the association, and students also participated in voluntary service activities. I gave a special lecture on May 8 at Daejeon University Daejeon Korean Medicine Hospital.

On June 10, I signed an AC3 Project agreement with MindHub, an AI cognitive and language solutions company, and Anyang City Senior Comprehensive Welfare Center.

AC3 stands for 'Aged Care Communication Center,' and is a project aimed at improving quality of life for elderly people through communication.

I plan to operate it as a pilot starting next semester. At such meetings, there is one thing I always tell people: voice problems are not a subsidiary symptom of the disease but the most significant factor affecting quality of life. My heart feels heavy every time patients say, 'I'm hearing this for the first time.'"

- South Korea's major hospitals have well-established medical administrative services such as insurance and diagnosis, but what about the speech-language pathology treatment fields for both children and adults?

"To be honest, it is quite imbalanced. On the children's side, there is a voucher system, and rehabilitation centers and private centers are increasing, so while not perfect, there is a path. The problem is with adults. Stroke or Parkinson's disease patients receive speech-language therapy at hospitals, but the moment they are discharged, it stops. There are almost no places in the community to continue treatment. Yet speech recovery actually takes place over years after discharge, while the system ends in weeks. Having many major hospitals is completely different from having places nearby where patients can receive consistent care. That is why Gyeonggi Province established Adult Language and Cognitive Integrated Services, a voucher system for adults, and when I was operating a center in Yangpyeong, many adult patients received speech-language therapy from me through community vouchers. Like these attempts, diverse social support for adult speech-language rehabilitation is urgently needed."

- Then, what about advanced countries like the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France?

"While systems differ by country, in the United States, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are deployed not only in hospitals but also in schools, care facilities, and home visits. In the UK, rehabilitation pathways are established within the national healthcare system, and Japan, having experienced aging earlier, incorporated swallowing and speech rehabilitation into elderly care. There are multiple programs: LSVT LOUD which addresses voice, LSVT BIG which addresses body movement, and SPEAK OUT!, among others. Of these, LSVT LOUD is on the speech-language pathology side and LSVT BIG is on the physical therapy side. What is more important than the names is that regardless of which, the goal is 'delivery in real life.'

However, I believe that if comparison ends in admiration, we become more exhausted. Comparison should be guidance, not judgment, and through that guidance we must find our own path, and create small links that we can bring from our own circumstances."

- You said 'we must create small links that we can bring from our own circumstances.' What links are you currently creating?

"Currently, the Department of Speech-Language Pathology at Daelim University is actually operating speech-language rehabilitation services for Parkinson's disease patients. Since last year, student speech-language pathology interns have been directly providing speech-language rehabilitation services to Parkinson's disease patients under the guidance and supervision of department faculty, and I teach during the semester and recruit Parkinson's disease patients during breaks to directly provide CSIP. Over last summer and winter breaks, and through this summer, I have met approximately thirty Parkinson's disease patients in total across three vacation periods. Based on that data, I am confirming that patients' speech intelligibility is improving, and these results are being prepared as a separate paper."

- I understand you were elected president of the Korean Speech-Language Pathology Major Student Council, shaved your head for the national speech-language pathology examination, and led student representatives from 1,000-2,000 universities across the country in protests, going back and forth to the National Assembly, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the Press Center?

"That was in 2012. That August, the Disability Welfare Act was amended and speech-language pathology finally became a national qualification, but students strongly objected to how that qualification would be managed.

Various issues were raised, such as who would write and review the exams, and whether prescriptions from other professions were necessary for treatment, but what we students held onto firmly was one thing: the issue of who and how would maintain the quality of the qualification. We had prepared for that qualification by attending thousands of hours of lectures and completing clinical internships, and we believed that if standards became lax, ultimately patients would be the ones to suffer. So students majoring in speech-language pathology from across the country took to the streets, and as council president, I cut my hair at that gathering. I still remember the faces of those students in their early twenties who skipped class and came up to Seoul. I learned one thing then: professionalism is not recognized automatically but must be proven and defended by oneself. That is why I continue to write papers and books now."

- Do you believe that South Korea's speech-language pathology-related academic societies and associations are performing their functions and roles?

"They are very active. The Korean Speech-Language-Hearing Clinical Society and the Korean Speech-Language Pathology Association are prime examples, and they publish academic journals and hold annual conferences every year to bridge research and clinical practice. My paper last year was published in the journal of the Korean Speech-Language-Hearing Clinical Society, and I am serving as a publicity director of the Korean Speech-Language Pathology Association and am preparing this year's conference. The 2025 Korean Speech-Language Pathology Association conference will be held at our school, Daelim University, in November."

- I heard that a book that will help with treatment will be published soon.

"Currently in the editing stage, and expected to be published around September to October. Rather than a professional manual for therapists, I wrote it so patients and families can read it at home. So it starts with stories I heard from patients rather than theory."

- Finally, what about the app development you have planned for the future?

"It is a speech training app adapted from my CSIP research so patients can practice and train at home.

However, I want to be clear that this tool is not a medical device for diagnosis but rather aims to help patients review their own voice and understand that there is a direction for improvement. The final judgment is made by people, and while I don't know when it will be completed, recruiting Parkinson's disease patients to participate in the initial pilot is an important task."