[2023 National Audit] Jo Gyu-hong "Continuing Health and Welfare System Innovation... Best Efforts to Protect Socially Vulnerable"

Minister Cho Kyu-hong Photo by Yonhap News

Cho Kyu-hong, Minister of Health and Welfare, emphasized on the 11th, "We will continue to innovate so that the health insurance and welfare system can remain stable and sustainable despite the rapidly changing policy environment."

In his opening remarks at the Health and Welfare Committee's parliamentary audit held at the National Assembly that day, Minister Cho stated, "Although our society has escaped the COVID-19 crisis, the economic situation has not fully recovered, causing significant difficulties for vulnerable groups, and structural social crises such as low birth rates and aging continue."

Minister Cho said, "We are doing our best to protect socially vulnerable groups more faithfully." The Ministry of Health and Welfare has raised the livelihood benefits guaranteeing the basic living of low-income groups by a record 13.2% next year.

He also stated, "We are systematically promoting policy tasks to meet diverse and newly emerging welfare demands such as family care, social isolation, and youth preparing for independence." For example, starting next year, a self-care allowance of about 2 million KRW per year will be newly established for family care youth, and the independence allowance given to youth preparing for independence will be increased from 400,000 KRW to 500,000 KRW per month. A one-stop integrated support service will also be piloted to effectively support socially isolated youth.

Minister Cho said, "We will steadily implement essential medical measures such as the birth notification system, protected childbirth system, and emergency and pediatric medical care," adding, "To reduce the burden of childcare costs, parental benefits will be further expanded next year, and population policies to address the low birth rate issue are being focused on core areas such as care and work-family balance."

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