Candidate Kim Seong-jin's 11th Promise: 'Gwangsan Kids Medicare'

Free Hospitalization Fees Gradually Implemented Up to Age 5

Government Covers Patient Costs Exceeding 1 Million KRW Annually

Kim Seong-jin, the Democratic Party of Korea preliminary candidate for the Gwangsan-gu (Eul) district of Gwangju Metropolitan City, announced his 11th pledge, the ‘Gwangsan Kids Medicare Promotion.’

Candidate Kim stated, “Article 24 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child recognizes the right of children to receive the best possible medical services. Therefore, the state must play a significant role in ensuring children grow up healthy.” He added, “In particular, Gwangsan is the area with the highest proportion of children in Gwangju, so we will strengthen child medical coverage and build infrastructure to alleviate concerns about children’s health and disease treatment.”

First, he promised to gradually extend free inpatient medical expenses from children under 2 years old to children up to 5 years old, especially easing the inpatient treatment burden for children with severe illnesses.

He also proposed introducing a national policy called the ‘Annual 1 Million Won Cap on Child Medical Expenses,’ where the government supports additional costs if the amount a patient must pay annually exceeds 1 million won.

Along with this, he plans to establish a specialized children’s hospital in the Gwangsan area to improve medical accessibility for emergencies and severe illness treatments, thereby securing a medical safety net.

Candidate Kim said, “I hope Gwangsan Kids Medicare will work not only for children’s health but also as a solution to overcome low birth rates.”

Preliminary candidate Kim Seong-jin graduated from Gwangju Daedong High School and Konkuk University. He passed the 33rd Administrative Examination (Finance and Economy) and has served as spokesperson for the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, director of Gwangju Technopark, and full-time vice president of the Korea Display Industry Association. He is recognized as an expert in jobs and industrial economy. Expectations are high that he will invigorate the local economy based on his extensive professional experience in central government agencies and his network in the central government.