Ministry of Health and Welfare: "Accelerating Remaining Medical Reform... Transition to Specialist-Centered Hospitals"

On the 22nd, Announcement of Achievements and Plans on Medical Reform and Pension Reform
Medical Reform Special Committee Establishes Roadmap for Reform Tasks
Supporting Social Consensus on Pension Reform

The Ministry of Health and Welfare is currently promoting medical reform, including increasing the number of medical school admissions, to normalize regional and essential medical services this year. It is expected to accelerate remaining tasks such as the future 'transition to specialist-centered hospitals.' Regarding pension reform, which was stalled in the 21st National Assembly, the ministry plans to support achieving social consensus in the future and actively engage in welfare for the vulnerable and measures to address low birth rates. In the biohealth industry sector, an additional K-Bio Fund worth 300 billion KRW will be raised within the year.

On the afternoon of the 22nd, the Ministry of Health and Welfare held a press briefing at the Seoul Press Center with the press corps and announced major achievements so far and future plans in five areas: ▲ medical reform ▲ strengthening welfare for the vulnerable ▲ enhancing the response system for low birth rates ▲ promoting mutually beneficial pension reform ▲ and advancing as a global hub for bio and digital health.

Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyoo-hong is attending the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting on doctors' collective action at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 22nd. [Image source=Yonhap News]

First, regarding medical reform, the ministry explained that it has been steadily preparing measures to revitalize essential medical services with a sense of urgency, announcing the 'Four Major Medical Reform Tasks' and 'expansion of medical school admissions by 2,000 students' last February. The ministry plans to swiftly establish a practical roadmap by focusing discussions on key reform tasks through the Medical Reform Special Committee, which was launched last month. The committee has already confirmed priority reform tasks such as 'strengthening compensation for severe and essential medical care, normalizing medical supply and utilization systems, reducing residents' workload and improving training quality, and enhancing the safety net for medical accidents' through two prior meetings. Additionally, convergence tasks requiring multidisciplinary collaboration, such as the 'plan for transitioning to specialist-centered hospitals,' have been identified and will be reviewed in expert subcommittees within the special committee going forward. The ministry intends to promptly discuss 'reducing residents' working hours' and 'transitioning to specialist-centered hospitals' within the committee, while simultaneously deliberating investment directions for normalizing the medical system.

The pension reform, which failed to reach bipartisan agreement on the income replacement rate and was passed on to the 22nd National Assembly, will see efforts to raise public awareness through online and offline promotions, education, and briefings, while actively supporting social consensus-building. Since pension reform is completed through legislation, the ministry believes that broad opinion gathering led by the National Assembly will be necessary and plans to support achieving social consensus. The ministry intends to analyze data related to population, macroeconomics, and systems affecting the National Pension Fund through the operation of a 'Projection Working Group,' and to have experts review and collect opinions on social discussion topics via a 'Future Reform Advisory Group.'

The ministry explained that since the 'Biohealth New Market Creation Strategy Meeting' held last February, it has been faithfully establishing and implementing follow-up measures in fields such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and R&D in the bio and digital health sectors. The ministry plans to promote private investment by raising an additional 300 billion KRW K-Bio Fund within the year and operate a 'Global Accelerator Platform' to support global research and development, consulting, and investment attraction. To strengthen data and advanced medical care, it plans to expand participation in the 'Health Information Highway Service,' linked with 26 tertiary general hospitals this year, and aims to have all 47 tertiary general hospitals participate by next year. With the revised 'Advanced Regenerative Medicine and Advanced Biopharmaceutical Safety and Support Act' (Advanced Regenerative Bio Act) enacted in February this year and scheduled to be implemented in February next year, the ministry will also proceed with strengthening management systems.

Additionally, the ministry plans to utilize ICT and AI technologies to identify and support welfare blind spots, strengthen integrated support for elderly medical care and caregiving, daily care for youth and middle-aged adults, and emergency care services, thereby providing meticulous welfare for the vulnerable. It will also promptly prepare measures to address low birth rates.