22nd Public Discussion in Wonju, Gangwon Province
President Yoon: "We Must Care for the Elderly Who Worked Hard for Economic Development"
Expansion of 250 Long-term Care Home Medical Centers Nationwide
Patient Burden for Home Visit Medical Fees Halved
Wonju to Be Developed as a Hub City for Digital Healthcare Industry
GTX-D Line Connected to Wonju
President Yoon Suk-yeol stated on the 21st, "We are currently building 1,000 public rental housing units annually for vulnerable elderly citizens, but we plan to increase the supply to 3,000 units each year." He announced the introduction of 'Silver Stay,' a private rental housing option for middle-class elderly households, and pledged to drastically reduce the patient burden for home visit medical fees for severely ill patients from the current 38,000 won to about half, strengthening the elderly care system.
On the same day, President Yoon presided over the 22nd Public Discussion Forum themed "Healthy and Happy Old Age" at the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service in Wonju, Gangwon Province, stating, "We will expand the supply of housing that includes daily living services such as meals, laundry, care, and nursing for the elderly." This marked the second time President Yoon held a public discussion forum in Gangwon Province, returning just 10 days after the one in Chuncheon on the 11th.
He mentioned the necessity of elderly policies alongside youth policies, including national care and job programs such as Neulbom School. In his opening remarks, President Yoon said, "Right after the Korean War, General Douglas MacArthur of the United States said it would take 100 years to rebuild this country unless a miracle happened. The miracle was made possible by the elderly of the Republic of Korea," emphasizing, "It is the government's important duty to take good care of the elderly who have devoted their lives."
In his closing remarks, he stressed, "For the nation to be sustainable, we must raise children well, support parents so they can raise children well, and stabilize jobs and the economy. Now, we must help the elderly who have cared for their families and contributed to economic and industrial development to spend their old age comfortably. We must take care of every generation without neglecting any."
"Comprehensive Measures Needed for Elderly Medical Care, Nursing, and Long-term Care"
President Yoon particularly emphasized that South Korea is entering an aging society faster than any other country in the world and that comprehensive measures are needed for the elderly, covering daily living such as housing, meals, and care, as well as medical care, nursing, and long-term care.
To this end, the supply of housing that includes daily living services such as meals, laundry, care, and nursing for the elderly will be significantly expanded. The supply of Silver Towns will be increased, and public rental housing for vulnerable elderly citizens will be expanded from the current 1,000 units to 3,000 units.
President Yoon stated, "We will introduce new types of 'elderly-friendly housing' that did not previously exist, such as middle-class private rentals and REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts)," adding, "We will introduce 'Silver Stay,' a private rental housing option for middle-class elderly households." Silver Stay housing is equipped with elderly-specialized facilities such as motion detectors and step removal, and provides elderly care services including medical and nursing care.
He also mentioned plans to create 'Healthcare REITs' that satisfy both public interest and profitability by making over 55% of the total elderly welfare housing and facilities, and allocating less than 30% to officetels for sale.
President Yoon promised to properly establish medical and long-term care systems for the elderly. First, home medical care, where doctors and nurses visit patients at home, will be activated. To this end, the number of long-term care home medical centers providing 'integrated medical and nursing care' by visiting long-term care recipients' homes will be greatly expanded from the current 95 centers to 250 nationwide. The patient burden for home visit medical fees for severely ill patients will be drastically reduced from 38,000 won to about half. President Yoon emphasized, "To alleviate caregiving burdens promised during the presidential election, a pilot project supporting caregiving costs for elderly patients hospitalized in nursing hospitals who require caregiving will be implemented starting April this year, and a dementia management primary care physician system will be introduced for dementia patients and their families."
Various senior services will also be provided centered around senior centers. The number of senior centers where elderly people can dine together will be expanded, and meal delivery services for elderly individuals with mobility difficulties will be introduced. President Yoon said, "To address the digital divide among the elderly, we will enable them to learn how to use digital devices at senior centers," adding, "We will introduce a quasi-senior center system to legalize unregistered senior centers and provide funding." Five additional senior-friendly national sports centers will be built this year, and plans include expanding park golf courses and distributing customized exercise programs.
In his closing remarks, President Yoon promised, "We will closely observe the living spaces, meals, medical care, and other issues of the elderly on-site," and pledged, "We will reflect support systems based on the inconveniences faced by the elderly, not just vague data."
"Expansion of Wonju Transportation Network... Connection to GTX-D Line"
Wonju will be developed as a central city for the digital healthcare industry utilizing artificial intelligence (AI), big data, and digital technologies. President Yoon said, "Wonju has established the only self-sustaining medical device innovation cluster in the country," and promised, "Based on the health and medical data possessed by Wonju, we will link it with Gangwon's 'Global Innovation Special Zone for Health and Medical Data' to dramatically advance the health and medical industry in Wonju and Gangwon." He also emphasized, "Since the Korean War, Wonju was a military city, but now it will be developed as a hub for advanced future new industries."
President Yoon continued, "For industry to develop properly, education must also change," mentioning plans to designate Wonju High School as an autonomous public high school and Wonju's specialized high schools as agreement-type specialized high schools to build an educational cluster, significantly improving the educational environment in the innovation city. This reflects the importance of strengthening education, the most critical residential condition, so that many talents can conduct research and business activities locally.
The transportation network in Wonju will also be expanded. To develop Wonju as a key city in the central region, the metropolitan area express railway (GTX) D line will be connected to Wonju, and the double-track railway from Yeoju to Wonju, which began construction in January this year, will be completed without delay to improve transportation conditions for Wonju citizens.
About 70 people attended the forum, including elderly representatives from various sectors, Wonju citizens, workers from senior welfare centers and nursing facilities, home medical care medical staff, and experts. From the government, Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyu-hong and Wonju Mayor Won Kang-su participated, and from the Presidential Office, Policy Chief Sung Tae-yoon, Senior Secretary for Social Affairs Jang Sang-yoon, and Senior Secretary for Science and Technology Park Sang-wook attended.
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