Assemblyman Kim Won-i emphasizes 'government principles' to resolve regional medical disparities

Emphasis on Proceeding with Government Plans for New Medical Schools and Expansion of Medical School Quotas as Scheduled

In the Past 4 Years, Active Physicians Increased by 27.4% in Seoul, 1.1% in Jeonnam... Serious Avoidance of Rural Areas

Won-i Kim, Member of the National Assembly (Democratic Party, Mokpo-si, Jeollanam-do)

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Seo Young-seo] On the 7th, at the Health and Welfare Committee's National Assembly audit, Representative Kim Won-i (Democratic Party, Mokpo, Jeonnam) enumerated the realities of medical disparities between regions and began his first audit inquiry by stating, "I hope the government's plans for establishing new medical schools and expanding medical school quotas proceed as scheduled without any setbacks."

Representative Kim Won-i said, "Looking at the regions where the 10,000 doctors added over the past four years are active, 27.4% are in Seoul, 29.9% in Gyeonggi, and 7.6% in Incheon, with a significant number working in the metropolitan area and large cities," adding, "On the other hand, Gangwon Province accounts for 1.8%, Chungbuk 1.8%, Jeonnam 1.1%, and Jeonbuk 1.9%, showing a serious aversion of doctors to rural areas."

He then cited the case of health care officers dedicated to medical care, with 0 in Seoul but 328 working in Jeonnam, stating, "The 'health care officer' system, created 40 years ago to compensate for the shortage of medical personnel on islands and in farming and fishing villages, is still maintained and the number continues to increase. They mainly operate in island and rural areas, which reveals the harsh reality of medical care in the Republic of Korea."

He pointed out, "While these health care officers play a role in taking responsibility for the health of rural residents, it is unreasonable to expect them to provide the same services that urban residents receive." Minister of Health and Welfare Park Neung-hoo responded, "Health care officers are a system established because we could not secure the necessary doctors, and they are composed of nurses, midwives, and others," adding, "This system is a temporary measure."

Representative Kim Won-i emphasized, "In South Korea, the world's 10th largest economy, the issue of island residents not receiving proper medical services and experiencing medical discrimination depending on where they live must be overcome quickly," and sincerely hoped, "I sincerely hope that the government’s medical policies, such as increasing medical school quotas, establishing public medical schools, creating medical schools in regions without them, and introducing a regional doctor system, will be well implemented as planned through good communication and persuasion with the Korea Medical Association (KMA) and the Korean Intern Resident Association (KIRA)."

On the 8th, Representative Kim Won-i is scheduled to continue the second day of the National Assembly audit of the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, followed by audits of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the National Pension Service.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.