South Korea Ministry of Health announces seven major policy priorities

The South Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare has announced seven major policy priorities during a National Assembly audit. Key initiatives include reforming the basic and national pension systems to enhance security and fund returns, and restructuring child support through new ‘Childcare Support Grants’ and ‘Childhood Basic Allowances’ starting in July 2027.

The ministry also plans to institutionalize telemedicine, expanding access through clinics while implementing safety measures for prescriptions. To address regional healthcare disparities, the government will introduce a special account for essential regional medical services, allocating approximately 1.26 trillion won for 2027 to support public hospitals and medical personnel training.

During the audit, lawmakers also raised regional concerns, requesting support for specific medical infrastructure, such as cancer hospitals and medical schools in provinces like Chungnam and Gyeongbuk. While some view these requests as necessary to address policy blind spots, critics argue that such regional petitions can undermine the audit's primary function of policy oversight.