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[POLITICS] · South Korea, China, Vietnam, Nepal, Indonesia · 5 sources

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Part of situation: South Korea medical expenditure and insurance trends (9 clusters)

South Korea foreign health insurance surplus exceeds 1 trillion won

National Health Insurance Service health insurance surplus reciprocity principle foreign nationals South Korea healthcare

South Korea's health insurance financial balance for foreign nationals reached a record surplus of 1.0128 trillion won last year. According to data from the National Health Insurance Service submitted to the National Assembly, foreign subscribers paid 2.537 trillion won in premiums, while medical benefit expenditures totaled 1.5243 trillion won.

While most nationalities recorded surpluses—led by Vietnam (160.1 billion won), Nepal (126.2 billion won), and Indonesia (91.8 billion won)—Chinese nationals recorded a deficit of 40.9 billion won. Chinese subscribers paid 956.4 billion won in premiums, but medical benefit payouts reached 997.3 billion won. This marks a reversal from a 5.5 billion won surplus recorded for Chinese nationals in 2024.

The disparity has reignited political debates regarding the introduction of reciprocity, where benefits for foreigners would match the level of medical coverage provided to South Koreans in their home countries. Critics of reciprocity argue that differing national healthcare systems make direct comparisons difficult and could lead to diplomatic friction or violations of international non-discrimination principles. The government maintains a cautious stance, focusing on strengthening residency requirements and identity verification procedures to prevent financial leakage.

Entities

China · Jeon Jin-sook · National Health Insurance Service · South Korea · Vietnam

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Sources

외국인 건강보험 흑자 ‘첫 1조’ 돌파...중국인은 ‘다시 적자’ [www.kyeonggi.com]
외국인 건보 흑자 1조 돌파에도… 중국인만 409억 적자 - 경북도민일보 [www.hidomin.com]
외국인 건보 1조원 흑자에도…중국인만 409억원 '적자' - 매일신문 [www.imaeil.com]
건강보험 가입 외국인 2.5조 내고 1.5조 썼다…사상 첫 흑자 1조원 돌파 [www.hani.co.kr]
외국인 대상 건강보험 ‘1조원’ 흑자인데 중국인만 다시 적자로…적자 규모가 [www.seoul.co.kr]