Yangju City Designates Two Clinics for Nighttime Services to Reduce Healthcare Gaps in the Western Region

Yangju City in Gyeonggi Province will introduce nighttime medical services at two medical institutions in Baekseok-eup and Gwangjeok-myeon, areas recognized as medically underserved, starting in January 2026 to improve healthcare access for residents in the western region.

Suhyun Kang, Mayor of Yangju (center), held a business agreement ceremony on the 17th to designate private medical institutions in medically underserved areas. Provided by Yangju City

This initiative was launched to address the lack of nighttime medical care infrastructure in the western region and to ensure that residents can safely access medical services even after work hours. The city plans to gradually fill essential medical service gaps in the area through cooperation with private medical institutions.

Nighttime medical services will be provided on designated days at each institution. Seongsim Internal Medicine Clinic in Baekseok-eup will offer consultations from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of each month, starting January 7, 2026. Jang Internal Medicine Clinic in Gwangjeok-myeon will provide nighttime medical services during the same hours on the second and fourth Thursdays, starting January 15.

Prior to this, on December 17, the city held a business agreement ceremony for the designation of private medical institutions in medically underserved areas, establishing a cooperative framework for the implementation of nighttime medical services. The ceremony was attended by the mayor of Yangju, city council members, and representatives from the medical institutions.

The city will provide financial support for the operation of nighttime medical services in accordance with ordinances and relevant regulations, and will ensure the public interest and efficiency of the project by monitoring its implementation.

However, the city noted that the schedule and operating hours for nighttime medical services may be subject to change depending on the circumstances of each medical institution, and advised residents to call the respective institutions before visiting.

Additionally, since both participating institutions are staffed by internal medicine specialists, there may be some limitations in providing care for children under the age of 10.

A Yangju City Public Health Center official stated, "The operation of nighttime medical institutions is the first step toward substantially improving healthcare access for residents in the western region," adding, "We will closely analyze the outcomes and continuously review the potential expansion of nighttime medical services in the future."