Medical Reform Special Committee, "Improving the Unbalanced Low-Rate System by 2027"

Resolution on the First Implementation Plan for Medical Reform

The Presidential Commission on Medical Reform will review and approve the first phase of medical reform measures on the 30th, which include innovations in the residency training system and the transformation of tertiary hospital structures.

Noh Yeon-hong, Chairman of the Special Committee on Medical Reform (left), and Cho Kyu-hong, Minister of Health and Welfare, are greeting each other at the meeting of the Special Committee on Medical Reform held on the 30th at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yong-jun jun21@

No Yeonhong, Chairperson of the Medical Reform Special Committee, held a meeting at the Government Seoul Office that morning and stated, "We will resolve the issue of insufficient compensation in severe and essential medical fields by ending the unbalanced low-fee system by 2027."

Chairperson No explained, "The first implementation plan concretizes solutions to longstanding challenges that have only been widely discussed until now, such as establishing a manpower supply and demand forecasting and adjustment system, innovating the residency training system, normalizing the medical supply and utilization system through the transformation of tertiary general hospitals, strengthening the safety net for medical accidents, and establishing a fair compensation system for essential medical services."

He added, "In particular, we presented a concrete plan to fundamentally resolve the issue of insufficient compensation in severe and essential fields, which has made fair compensation for essential medical workers difficult and undermined their pride, by terminating the low-fee system by 2027."

Chairperson No also emphasized, "The financial investment plan for medical reform will invest more than 10 trillion won over five years, making national finances a driving force for strengthening essential and regional medical care."

He said, "The implementation plan to be discussed today will mark the starting point of fundamental changes to normalize the residency training, which has deteriorated due to long working hours, the regional medical ecosystem on the brink of collapse, and the long-neglected low-fee system. Medical reform that will lead a massive transformation of the Republic of Korea’s medical system will officially begin."