Several different tools for the evaluation of the physical impairments or disabilities have been employed in Korea. In some cases, the same impairment has received different evaluations in accordance with different evaluation criteria. Sometimes evaluation tools from abroad have been used without efforts of adapting those tools to Korean situations. The general framework for developing impairment evaluation should be objective, useful, and actual. The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences (KAMS) guides has been developed as a tool for the evaluation of impairment by the experts'discussion and public consensus. The KAMS guides measure the impairment, not the disability, by the rate and encompass all kinds of physical impairments and diseases as many as possible. The guides need the next steps for being legislative and valid from the authorities.