Government to Improve Evacuation and Protection System for Overseas Korean Patients... Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Oversee

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Son Seon-hee] From now on, when a patient occurs among nationals staying overseas, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will take overall charge of related transportation and protection. In addition, the Ministry of Health and Welfare will manage private transportation support companies, and the National Fire Agency will be responsible for emergency medical consultations for overseas nationals.

On the 3rd, the government reviewed and finalized the "Improvement Plan for Overseas Korean Patient Transportation and Protection System" at the National Affairs Inspection and Coordination Meeting chaired by Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum. The Office for Government Policy Coordination explained the background of the improvement plan, stating, "As international exchanges become more active, our nationals are at risk of exposure to infectious diseases such as COVID-19 or safety accidents overseas at any time," and "It is urgent to establish a transportation support system to bring them back to the country in preparation for a surge in overseas departures."

When a patient occurs overseas, it is directly related to the life and safety of nationals, but so far, the government’s management system has been inadequate due to fairness with nationals residing domestically and the principle of self-responsibility. Accordingly, the government has clearly redefined the roles and responsibilities of each ministry.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will take overall charge of overseas patient transportation and protection while expanding the provision of medical information locally. Also, the Consular Call Center (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and the Central 119 Ambulance Management Center (National Fire Agency) will cooperate to establish a 24-hour emergency medical telephone interpretation service involving specialists. This is to strengthen medical interpretation support for nationals who have difficulties receiving local treatment due to language barriers. Furthermore, administrative support procedures necessary for transportation, such as issuing a local attending physician’s medical opinion (MEDIF), will be manualized, and the reinforcement of personnel in local diplomatic missions with frequent accidents, such as in China and Southeast Asia, for transportation and treatment support will be considered.

At the same time, travel insurance products, which have been difficult to benefit from in practice due to excessively strict compensation requirements, will be effectively improved. Unreasonable policy terms such as "14 days hospitalization locally" will be revised, and the coverage limits for treatment and transportation costs will be raised so that nationals can receive practical travel insurance benefits.

When a patient occurs locally overseas, transportation between the airport and hospital will be handled by the National Fire Agency. Through mutual agreements with countries such as China and Southeast Asia, local public ambulances will be utilized for patient transportation (local hospital → airport), and large special ambulances will be deployed at fire stations near Incheon Airport (such as Yeongjong Fire Station). If necessary, emergency medicine specialists will be dispatched to support so that cases of delayed hospital transportation for critically ill patients do not occur.

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