Gyeongsangbuk-do medical spending outflow exceeds 2 trillion won annually

Gyeongsangbuk-do residents are experiencing a significant outflow of medical expenses due to inadequate local healthcare infrastructure. Data from the National Health Insurance Service reveals that the province's local medical utilization rate has remained at the lowest level in South Korea for five consecutive years, hovering around 59.7%.

Last year, out of a total medical expenditure of 5.2164 trillion won by Gyeongsangbuk-do residents, 2.1017 trillion won—approximately 40.3%—was spent at medical institutions in other regions. This marks the first time the annual outflow has exceeded 2 trillion won, with cumulative outflows over the last five years reaching 9.4663 trillion won.

The shortage of medical resources is attributed to a lack of doctors and specialized facilities. Despite having the largest land area in the country, the province has only 1.4 doctors per 1,000 people, the lowest in the nation. Furthermore, while there are 15 areas vulnerable to emergency medical shortages, the province lacks a single tertiary general hospital. Representative Lim Mi-ae has emphasized the urgent need to establish a national medical school to address these systemic deficiencies and protect residents' rights to healthcare.