"Recommendation to Maintain Insurance Even if Foreigners Change Residency Status... Ministry of Health and NHIS Reject"

▲National Health Insurance Service

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the National Health Insurance Service have rejected the recommendation from the National Human Rights Commission to improve the system so that long-term foreign residents enrolled in the National Health Insurance can maintain their insurance eligibility even after their residency status changes.

On the 31st, the Human Rights Commission stated, "We believe that the recommended institutions need to actively make efforts to ensure that the health rights of long-term foreign residents in the country are not violated by reconsidering the Commission's recommendations, and we hereby announce the related content in accordance with the current National Human Rights Commission Act." Previously, the Commission received a complaint from a foreigner who entered with a long-term residency status and was denied health insurance eligibility after their residency status was changed to 'Other (G-1).' Accordingly, the Commission recommended the Minister of Health and Welfare and the Director of the National Health Insurance Service to improve the related system.

However, the Ministry and the Service responded that it was difficult to accept the recommendation, citing the temporary nature of the residency status, and the Commission judged that the response did not align with the intent of the recommendation. The Commission also added, "Restrictions on residency status extension due to unpaid insurance premiums are naturally applicable to all long-term foreign residents enrolled in health insurance, but citing this reason to reject the recommendation is effectively a refusal."

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