Medical, Daily Life, and Administrative Services Loaded on the 'Eobok Bus' Running Across Jeonnam Islands

Benefits Including Haircuts, Bathing, and Non-Face-to-Face Medical Care for Over 500 People on 20 Islands

Jeonnam Province announced on the 12th that, together with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, it officially launched the pilot project of the ‘Eo(Chon)Bok(Ji) Bus,’ which directly provides medical, daily life, and administrative services by visiting communities, starting from Daegijeomdo Island in Sinan on the 8th.

The Eobok Bus pilot project is a welfare initiative by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. It serves about 3,000 fishery workers living in over 50 fishing villages and islands nationwide. Among them, around 500 residents on about 20 islands in Jeonnam will receive various welfare services such as hairdressing, bathing, and non-face-to-face medical consultations.

Since Jeonnam accounts for 64% of the islands nationwide, the Eobok Bus pilot project is expected to solve the biggest difficulties faced by island residents.

Daegijeomdo Island in Sinan, selected as the first destination of the pilot project, is a small island located about 25 km from the mainland, with around 40 residents living together. The nearest hospital is about 45 minutes away, making it difficult to receive medical and various daily life services.

On this day, through the Eobok Bus, medical services such as non-face-to-face video consultations, prescription dispensing, parcel delivery, and face-to-face medical appointment services were provided at public places like the village hall via internet communication networks and monitors.

In addition, basic daily life services such as hairdressing and bathing, which are difficult to access due to the aging population and transportation inconvenience in island areas, were also provided, receiving great positive responses.

Park Tae-geon, Director of the Island and Marine Policy Division of Jeonnam Province, said, “Island residents are often excluded from welfare benefits they should naturally enjoy due to geographical characteristics,” adding, “Starting with this pilot project, we will actively propose to the government that more island residents receive medical and daily life services by 2025.”

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries’ Eobok Bus pilot project is being implemented for the first time in Jeonnam, targeting about 500 people on 20 islands until May. Through the operation of this pilot project, shortcomings will be supplemented, and full-scale implementation is planned from next year.