Pediatric and Adolescent Hospital Association: "2026 Must Be the First Year of Pediatric Healthcare Revival"

Calling for Solutions to Structural Contradictions and Enactment of the Basic Act on Children's Health
"Urgent Need for Policies to Strengthen Support for Pediatric Hospitals Serving as the Healthcare Backbone"

The Korean Pediatric and Adolescent Hospital Association has called for 2026 to be designated as the inaugural year for the revival of pediatric healthcare, urging the implementation of practical, field-oriented measures.

Choi Yongjae, President of the Korean Pediatric and Adolescent Hospital Association. Korean Pediatric and Adolescent Hospital Association

Choi Yongjae, President of the Association and Director of Uijeongbu Tuntun Children's Hospital, said in a New Year's interview on January 16, "Pediatric healthcare has remained bleak for several years," adding, "We must make 2026 the first year of pediatric healthcare revival so that the laughter of children never ceases. The government, the National Assembly, and all medical professionals must strive and take action to achieve this."

The Association believes that the root cause of the pediatric healthcare crisis lies in government policies and financial support that are heavily concentrated on university hospitals and advanced general hospitals. Although more than 80% of pediatric patients receive care at local primary and secondary medical institutions and pediatric hospitals, support is focused solely on large hospitals.

In response, the Association proposed an urgent and comprehensive shift to a "trickle-down effect" policy, where advanced general hospitals, secondary hospitals, and primary clinics have their roles and compensation structured according to their functions. They argued that it is necessary to move away from university hospital-centered policies and build a robust, well-balanced healthcare delivery system.

The Association also called for fundamental measures to resolve the manpower shortage. The fact that many training hospitals have zero applicants for pediatric residency is seen as evidence that the entire pediatric healthcare structure has collapsed. The Association pointed out that the phenomenon of doctors leaving pediatrics is worsening due to low reimbursement rates, excessive on-call burdens, a high risk of medical disputes, and an inadequate compensation structure. They stressed that unless long-term strategies such as payment of resident allowances, improvement of working conditions, and linking post-training doctors to local pediatric medical institutions are established, it will be impossible to recover the application rate.

The Association argued that, given the unpredictable and high-risk nature of pediatric care, the state must strengthen its responsibility for unavoidable medical accidents. They also emphasized that pediatric medical infrastructure capable of providing care at night and on weekends should be recognized as an essential national infrastructure investment to combat low birth rates, going beyond the provision of basic medical services.

As a legal basis to support these changes, the Association cited the "Basic Act on Children's Health," which is currently being promoted for enactment. They expect this law to define children and adolescents as independent health subjects for whom the state is responsible, and to serve as a legal foundation for transforming pediatric healthcare into an essential public infrastructure that the state will be responsible for in the mid- to long-term.

The Association also called for effective improvements to on-site systems. Regarding the ongoing discussions by the Ministry of Health and Welfare on the restructuring of the Dalbit Children's Hospital program, the Association is requesting that Dalbit Children's Hospitals be classified into Type 1 and Type 2, and that hospitals actually performing nighttime and emergency roles be included. They believe that only the introduction of realistic compensation systems, such as standby fees and additional payments for specialists, can truly contribute to the normalization of pediatric healthcare.

The Association also identified the full-scale implementation of the "Pediatric Healthcare Regional Cooperation Network Pilot Project" as an urgent task. They stated that positive effects have been confirmed, such as the initiation of inter-hospital referral and transfer systems and the establishment of emergency and critical pediatric patient cooperation networks.

President Choi stated, "The Basic Act on Children's Health has been proposed and is on the verge of enactment, and the restructuring of Dalbit Children's Hospitals and the full-scale implementation of the regional cooperation network are underway. I earnestly ask the government, the National Assembly, and others to fulfill their responsibilities as adults by normalizing a field-oriented pediatric care system for the children of Korea and to join in safeguarding the nation's future."