"From Initial to Final Treatment in the Region"... 74.2 Billion Won Support for Regional Responsible Medical Institutions

Ministry Expands Intensive Care Units and Enhances Treatment Infrastructure for High-Risk Pregnant Women
Support for Introduction of Proton Therapy Devices in Non-Metropolitan Regions

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on March 4, 2026, that it has decided to provide a total of 74.2 billion won to regional hub hospitals, such as national university hospitals and other regional responsible medical institutions, to expand intensive care and critical disease treatment facilities and to purchase medical equipment. This is part of a national policy initiative to strengthen regional, essential, and public healthcare.

Since last year, the government has been providing support for facilities and equipment to regional responsible medical institutions in order to nurture core hospitals with advanced critical care capabilities within each region. The goal is to establish a regional, self-sufficient healthcare system that allows patients to complete their treatment locally, without the need to travel to the Seoul metropolitan area or other major cities.

This year, the focus of the support is on expanding facilities essential for severe and high-difficulty treatments. Intensive care units will be expanded at multiple regional responsible hospitals, including Busan National University Hospital, Kangwon National University Hospital, and Jeonbuk National University Hospital, to ensure that critically ill patients can receive treatment within the golden hour. Kyungpook National University Hospital and Jeju National University Hospital will expand intensive care units for high-risk pregnant women, while Chungbuk National University Hospital will establish a pediatric emergency medical center and pediatric intensive care unit. These measures aim to create an environment where mothers, newborns, and children can receive safe treatment within their local communities.

Additionally, Chonnam National University Hospital will receive support for robotic surgical equipment, and Chungnam National University Hospital will set up a hybrid surgical system that enables real-time monitoring of patient status during surgery, thereby enhancing the precision of complex surgical procedures.

In particular, to ensure that world-class precision cancer treatment is also available in regional areas, Chilgok Kyungpook National University Hospital will receive support for the introduction of proton therapy equipment. Unlike conventional X-ray-based radiation therapy, proton therapy utilizes proton particles to precisely destroy cancer cells, representing an advanced radiation treatment technology. This method is expected to reduce side effects and improve treatment efficacy compared to traditional radiation therapy. By expanding the availability of advanced cancer treatment equipment—currently concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area—to regional hospitals, the government aims to reduce the economic and psychological burden on cancer patients and their families and ensure that advanced cancer treatments can be provided locally.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to expedite the implementation of this support program by streamlining or exempting administrative procedures such as local financial investment reviews through coordination with relevant ministries. This will help prevent delays in expanding critical and essential healthcare infrastructure in the regions. Starting this month, the ministry will accept and evaluate business proposals, focusing on cities and provinces that have not yet fully allocated their institution-specific budgets, through a second round of applications.

Lee Jungkyu, Director of Public Health Policy at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, stated, "This support goes beyond simply providing equipment; it is meaningful as it establishes the foundation for completing severe and high-difficulty treatments within local communities. We will continue to strengthen the capabilities of regional responsible medical institutions so that local residents can receive treatment with confidence in their own regions."

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