Jeonnam Province to Operate Safe Hospitals for Foreigners to Address Gaps in Medical Access

Jeonnam Leads Nation in Growth of Foreign Residents
Plans to Offer Medical Fee Reductions and Interpretation Services

Jeollanam-do designates and operates 'Safe Hospitals for Foreigners.' The photo shows a medical volunteer site for foreign residents. Provided by Jeonnam Province.

Jeonnam Province announced on June 9 that it will designate and operate "Jeonnam Safe Hospitals for Foreigners" to improve medical accessibility and provide stable medical services for foreign residents.

Last year, the growth rate of foreign residents in Jeonnam was 18.5%, the highest in the country, which is expected to lead to a sharp increase in medical demand among foreign residents.

However, foreign residents who are not enrolled in the national health insurance system face a greater financial burden for hospital expenses compared to those who are insured. There have also been cases where language barriers have prevented them from receiving necessary medical treatment in a timely manner.

In response, Jeonnam Province, in cooperation with the Jeonnam Medical Association, will begin designating Safe Hospitals for Foreigners starting in June. Hospitals that receive this designation will reduce medical fees by approximately 30% for uninsured foreign residents to help alleviate their financial burden. In addition, medical interpretation services will be provided in connection with the Jeonnam Foreign Resident Integrated Support Call Center.

The interpretation service will be available in a total of six languages: Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese, Cambodian, Nepali, and Indonesian. In July, the service will be expanded to nine languages, adding Thai, Uzbek, Sinhalese, and Filipino.

Medical institutions wishing to be designated as Safe Hospitals can apply by submitting an application to the Jeonnam Medical Association's medical volunteer group.

Kim Myungshin, Director of Population, Youth and Immigration at Jeonnam Province, said, "Through the operation of these Safe Hospitals, we expect that foreign residents who have faced difficulties accessing medical services due to financial burdens and language barriers will be able to receive care with greater peace of mind. We will continue to develop cooperative systems to support medical care and address gaps in healthcare access."

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