Emergency Room Staffing Crisis in South Jeolla Raises Fears of Regional Healthcare Collapse

Sharp Drop in Public Health Doctor Recruitment and Reduced Placement Hit Hard
24-Hour Operations at Risk Amid Shortage of Dedicated Physicians
Kaeho Lee: "We Must Protect the Last Bastion of Essential Medical Care"

Kaeho Lee, member of the Democratic Party of Korea.

The shortage of dedicated physicians at emergency medical institutions in South Jeolla Province is worsening. As the concentration of medical personnel in the Seoul metropolitan area accelerates, the recruitment rate for public health doctors-who have been the core staff of local emergency rooms-has plummeted, raising concerns that the regional emergency medical system is on the verge of collapse. In particular, the expansion of gaps in night and holiday coverage is threatening the ability to maintain 24-hour emergency room operations.

Kaeho Lee, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea representing Damyang, Hampyeong, Yeonggwang, and Jangseong in South Jeolla Province, stated at the Ministry of Health and Welfare's comprehensive audit on October 30, "Emergency medical institutions in South Jeolla Province are facing a real risk of breakdown in night and holiday coverage due to the sharp decline in the recruitment rate and reduced placement of public health doctors. The Ministry of Health and Welfare must prioritize maintaining 24-hour emergency room operations as its top policy agenda."

The recruitment situation for public health doctors is even more dire. According to the audit data submitted to Assemblyman Lee by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the recruitment rate for public health doctors dropped from 87.4% in 2021 to 53.2% in 2025, effectively halving. Additionally, the placement standard for public health doctors at regional emergency medical institutions was reduced from two in 2023 to one in 2025.

As a result, the 16 regional emergency medical institutions in South Jeolla Province are struggling to secure even the minimum number of staff required for night and holiday shifts. On the ground, there is a consensus that at least three dedicated physicians are needed to ensure stable 24-hour operations. However, the gap between the legal minimum requirement and the actual staffing needs is widening, prompting warnings that this could lead to the suspension of emergency room operations.

This shortage of personnel has led to an increase in the use of emergency telemedicine consultations. Of the 5,899 emergency telemedicine consultations conducted in medically underserved areas nationwide from 2020 to 2024, South Jeolla Province accounted for 3,216 cases (54.5%), the highest in the country. This indicates that South Jeolla Province relies significantly more on telemedicine to compensate for the shortage of emergency medical personnel compared to other regions, underscoring the urgent need to secure dedicated staff.

Assemblyman Lee pointed out that the current emergency medical fund structure cannot adequately cover structural deficits centered on labor costs. He argued that a new subproject should be established within the emergency medical fund management plan to directly support the salaries of dedicated physicians who must be additionally recruited due to the lack of public health doctors. He also emphasized the need to operate a wide-area personnel pool linked to compensation and allowances at all times, in order to build a safety net that can quickly fill staffing gaps.

Assemblyman Lee stressed, "Maintaining 24-hour emergency room operations is the lifeline of the community, and as statistics show with South Jeolla Province leading the nation in telemedicine consultations, the personnel shortage on the ground has become structural."

He continued, "We must restore and maintain the operational capacity of emergency medical institutions by prioritizing the placement of public health doctors, directly supporting the salaries of dedicated physicians, and activating special dispatch and evaluation exemptions for higher-level hospitals. Emergency medical care in local areas can no longer be sustained with temporary measures. We must protect the last bastion of essential medical care with precise indicators and targeted financial support," he reiterated.

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