Yoon: "Expanding Non-Face-to-Face Medical Care... Will Do Our Best to Reflect It in Legal Amendments" (Update)

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The door to telemedicine, which had been operated on a limited basis since the COVID-19 pandemic, is now fully opening. Going forward, patients living in emergency medical vulnerable areas or during holidays and nighttime hours such as the Lunar New Year holiday will be able to receive telemedicine services even without prior in-person consultation experience. The government plans to supplement pilot projects and push for institutionalization of telemedicine through amendments to the Medical Service Act. Additionally, by activating data linkage and sharing between ministries, the government aims to achieve 'zero required documents at government offices' by 2026, significantly reducing the hassle of obtaining multiple documents for citizens and establishing a 'one-stop service.'

On the morning of the 30th, President Yoon Suk-yeol stated at the seventh 'Public Discussion on Livelihood Issues with the People,' held at the Startup Zone of the Pangyo 2nd Techno Valley Enterprise Support Hub under the theme 'Digital Coexistence, Protection of People's Rights,' that telemedicine had been operated in a limited manner after the pandemic, causing great inconvenience and disappointment among the public. He pledged to reflect this in legal amendments and actively expand telemedicine.

This discussion was organized to discuss ways to enhance citizens' freedom and rights in digital areas of daily life, such as digital administration, game content, and digital medical services.

In his opening remarks, President Yoon said, "Telemedicine based on digital technology has brought innovation to the use of medical services," adding, "During the COVID-19 pandemic, both citizens and doctors wisely utilized telemedicine, and digital medical services have been activated, creating a new private market." However, he pointed out that as the pandemic ended, telemedicine became restricted, continuing to cause inconvenience to the public.

President Yoon stated, "Although the government continues telemedicine in the form of pilot projects, there are still inconveniences and regrets, such as restrictions on remote drug delivery," and added, "Many citizens criticize that the laws and systems regarding telemedicine are outdated."

Accordingly, President Yoon announced plans to improve the system to promote telemedicine so that all citizens can access medical services regardless of time and place. Through amendments to the Medical Service Act, the system will be improved to allow telemedicine use during Lunar New Year holidays, holidays, and nighttime hours even without prior in-person consultation experience. To this end, the current pilot projects will be supplemented and expanded to enable working parents and patients living in emergency medical vulnerable areas to use telemedicine.

Instead of patients having to submit medical records and imaging information such as CT scans on paper or CDs when transferring hospitals, the government will expand electronic and rapid sharing methods. The government plans to increase the number of medical institutions linked to the medical information exchange system from 8,600 last year to 9,400 this year to reduce inconvenience for patients and their guardians.

Furthermore, President Yoon stated that in the field of digital administration, walls between ministries will be broken down, and scattered information and data will be gathered to provide citizens with convenient 'one-stop customized administrative services.' He said, "Starting with about 420 services by the end of the year, a total of about 1,500 administrative service required documents will be fully digitized over three years," adding, "The seal certificate, which has been in use for 110 years, will be largely converted to a digital seal."

This aims to alleviate the inconvenience citizens have faced in obtaining many documents to receive administrative services. Over the next three years, the required documents for about 1,500 administrative services will be fully computerized to create an environment where applications can be made easily without preparing various supporting documents, and unnecessary seal certificates will be largely converted to digital seals.

Regarding the gaming industry, which has established itself as a content industry, President Yoon emphasized the need to protect game users who purchase digital goods such as items on par with general consumers. To resolve unfairness and protect consumers in the gaming industry, following the disclosure of information on 'probability-type items,' the government plans to thoroughly respond to small-scale game fraud and so-called 'Muk-twi games'?games that generate revenue but terminate services prematurely.

President Yoon promised, "We will continue to eradicate small-scale game fraud and thoroughly respond to 'Muk-twi games' that generate revenue and then terminate services early, protecting the rights and interests of game consumers."

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