Pohang City Launches Pilot Operation of 'Public Late-Night Pharmacies' Ensuring Citizen Safety at Night

Namgu Seomunjeil and Bukgu Dukkeobi Pharmacy 2 Locations Pilot Operation

Pohang City Hall.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Dongguk Lee] Pohang City, Gyeongbuk Province, has been conducting a pilot operation of the ‘Public Late-Night Pharmacy,’ which operates daily from 10 PM to 1 AM the next day, including holidays, since July 1st until the end of the year.

The Public Late-Night Pharmacy is a pharmacy operated to alleviate the inconvenience experienced by local residents when purchasing medicines during medically vulnerable times such as holidays and late-night hours, and to provide medication guidance and consultation from pharmacists.

Although the necessity of operating pharmacies during late-night hours has been continuously raised, it had not been operated due to reasons such as low user numbers, difficulties in hiring staff, and financial burdens. Accordingly, Pohang City has continuously requested the Ministry of Health and Welfare to support the operating costs of public late-night pharmacies, and this year, with national funding support, it began a pilot operation (62 locations nationwide).

The Public Late-Night Pharmacy is operated by seven pharmacies within Gyeongbuk Province and is divided into urban types with populations over 100,000 and non-urban types with populations under 100,000 based on a population of 100,000. Pohang City was selected as an urban-type area with Seomun Jeil Pharmacy in Yongdeok-ri, Ocheon-eup, Nam-gu, and Dukkeobi Pharmacy in Sangwon-dong, Buk-gu.

Kim Tae-woo, Director of Health Policy Division, said, “The operation of public late-night pharmacies is expected to greatly help minimize the inconvenience of citizens purchasing medicines during late-night hours, including holidays, which are medically vulnerable times, and to prevent medicine misuse and ensure safe medication.” He added, “We will continue to expand participating pharmacies and strive to improve citizens’ health.”