As long-standing disagreements resurface, doctors and the government lock horns over proposed medical education reforms
South Korea’s healthcare system is under scrutiny following instances of patients facing challenges in accessing medical care. An illustrative case involves a teenage girl from Daegu who, after a fall from a four-story building, was reportedly denied admission by seven hospitals due to the unavailability of emergency facilities or specialists. Following a two-hour delay, she suffered cardiac arrest and died.
In 2022, South Korea’s health ministry’s data highlighted that there are 2.5 doctors for every 1,000 people in South Korea. When excluding practitioners of traditional Korean medicine, this ratio stands at 2, marking the lowest among the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, pointing to a disproportionate distribution of medical professionals.
South Korea’s healthcare system is under scrutiny following instances of patients facing challenges in accessing medical care. An illustrative case involves a teenage girl from Daegu who, after a fall from a four-story building, was reportedly denied admission by seven hospitals due to the unavailability of emergency facilities or specialists. Following a two-hour delay, she suffered cardiac arrest and died.
In 2022, South Korea’s health ministry’s data highlighted that there are 2.5 doctors for every 1,000 people in South Korea. When excluding practitioners of traditional Korean medicine, this ratio stands at 2, marking the lowest among the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, pointing to a disproportionate distribution of medical professionals.
Get 30 days
of free access to
KoreaPro
Full access to all analysis
The KOREA PRO newsletter, every business day
Daily analysis on the top story of the day
The ability to suggest topics for coverage by our specialist team
Be smart about South Korea
Get full access to expert analysis and opinion.
Start now
No charges during your trial. Cancel anytime. A paid subscription will start after 30 days.
© Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved.
No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for
commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk
Group.