Recent data suggests the one out of every 25 women in Korea has breast cancer, although the rate varies by year.

The number of breast cancer patients around the country surpassed 11,000 in 2006 but was as high as 14,000 in 2008.

The country has seen a 91 percent increase in the rate of women's breast cancer patients from 2002, the biggest jump among OECD nations.

Unlike other Western countries, where women tend to contract the disease after going through their menopause, it is more prevalent in Korea among women under 40.

As women are contracting cancer at a younger age, doctors say it is important for women to get themselves tested regularly and as early as possible.