Assemblyman An Ho-young, "Worker Health Centers Need to Be Transferred to the Korea Workers' Compensation & Welfare Service"

Criticism of the Disorderly Management at the Worker Health Center Operated by Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency

[Wanju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Han-ho] Ahn Ho-young, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea (Wanju-Muju-Jinan-Jangsu·Environment and Labor Committee), advocated for the transfer of the Workers' Health Center to the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service during the National Assembly inspection of the Ministry of Employment and Labor's affiliated agencies on the 15th.

According to Rep. Ahn, various problems have arisen in the operation of the Workers' Health Center run by the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency.

He pointed out that operating under a consignment system causes difficulties related to employment stability and employment succession issues when the consignment agency changes.

Since the operating expenses of the Workers' Health Center have been about 500 to 600 million KRW per center for several years, frequent turnover occurs due to low wages, leading to a vicious cycle where staff expertise cannot be improved.

Regarding this, Rep. Ahn analyzed, "This is because the Workers' Health Center was consigned to private institutions, only paying consignment fees and leaving autonomous operation to them."

Rep. Ahn emphasized, "Hospitals affiliated with the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service are operated directly, and most nurses are directly employed as regular workers. This hospital model could be a solution to the irregular employment issues of the existing Workers' Health Center."

He added, "We should utilize the medical personnel of the Service's hospitals and integrate injury treatment and recuperation, which were separately handled by the existing health centers and the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service hospitals, into one place. After the National Assembly inspection, I request that active discussions be held to seek practical alternatives regarding this matter between the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service and the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency."

Wanju=Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Han-ho stonepeak@asiae.co.kr

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