Gangwon Province Partners with Gangneung Asan Hospital and Nine Cities and Counties to Establish Yeongdong Region Pediatric Emergency Medical System

Emergency Medical Services Resume in the Yeongdong Region
with Recruitment of Specialized Medical Personnel

On December 4, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province (Governor Kim Jin-tae) signed a business agreement at Gangneung Asan Hospital to strengthen the emergency medical system for children and adolescents in the Yeongdong region.

Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province signed a business agreement on the 4th at Gangneung Asan Hospital to strengthen the emergency medical system for children and adolescents in the Yeongdong area. Provided by Gangwon Province

The agreement was made with the participation of the province, Gangneung Asan Hospital, and nine cities and counties in the Yeongdong region (Gangneung, Donghae, Taebaek, Sokcho, Samcheok, Pyeongchang, Jeongseon, Goseong, and Yangyang).

Gangneung Asan Hospital is the only tertiary general hospital in the Yeongdong region and serves as the regional emergency medical center, playing a key role in treating critically ill emergency patients and managing inpatients.

However, since last year, the hospital has faced difficulties in providing pediatric emergency care due to a shortage of pediatric specialists and dedicated emergency room staff.

This agreement is a measure to address these challenges, and with the recruitment of additional medical personnel, including dedicated pediatricians, pediatric emergency care will resume.

To this end, the province and the nine cities and counties will jointly provide a total budget of 1.8 billion won over two years from 2026 to 2027, allowing approximately 75,000 children and adolescents in the Yeongdong region to once again access stable emergency medical services.

At the signing ceremony, Governor Kim Jin-tae stated, "While pediatric emergency rooms have been operating in the Chuncheon and Wonju regions, the Yeongdong region had been left out, but today, the final piece of the puzzle has been put in place. This is not just a simple institutional supplement, but the establishment of a robust medical safety net to properly protect our children."

He added, "The province will continue to focus its efforts on expanding public healthcare and strengthening local medical services."

Meanwhile, the province is reorganizing the emergency medical system for children and adolescents into three regional systems-Chuncheon, Wonju-Chungju, and Yeongdong-and is continuously working to secure specialized personnel and enhance public healthcare capabilities.

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