Lawmakers flag doctor shortages, deficits at South Korea's regional national hospitals
In short
At the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee's first audit of nine regional national university hospitals on October 8, lawmakers pointed to doctor shortages, long working hours and chronic deficits. Health ministry official Son Young-rae (손영래) said the ministry aims to remove the hospitals from the 'other public institution' category by the first half of next year and has included a roughly two-year labour-cost subsidy in the new budget.
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South Korea's National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee on October 8 audited nine regional national university hospitals, excluding Seoul National University Hospital, and lawmakers repeatedly raised staff shortages, deficits and gaps in regional essential care. It was the committee's first audit of the hospitals, whose oversight moved from the Ministry of Education to the Ministry of Health and Welfare on August 20 under a revised law, Newsis reported. The audited hospitals are Pusan, Kangwon, Chungbuk, Chungnam, Jeonbuk, Chonnam, Kyungpook, Gyeongsang and Jeju national university hospitals. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Lee Su-jin (이수진) of the Democratic Party said the situation did not look easy despite the government's plan to raise the hospitals to the level of Seoul's 'Big 5'. She said Pusan National University Hospital had 1,070 doctors against a quota of 1,380 as of August, or 77.5%, and Newsis cited her figures showing Kangwon National University Hospital at 233 of 361, or 64.5%. Kim Tae-ho (김태호) of the People Power Party said six of the nine hospitals filled less than half of their planned essential-care specialist hires this year, with Jeju and Chungbuk at rates in the 10% range, and that Gyeongsang National University Hospital had hired no pediatricians since 2024 despite advertising for about ten a year. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Kim Yoon (김윤) of the Democratic Party said neonatal intensive care staff at Gyeongsang National University Hospital worked 55 hours a week on average and up to 150 hours, with 16.8 on-call shifts a month and up to six consecutive days of work. Kim Ki-woong (김기웅) of the People Power Party said national university hospitals run deficits of billions of won while private university hospitals in the same regions make profits, pointing to a structural problem. [ 1 , 2 ]
Hospital directors called for government support. Kim Won-seop (김원섭) of Chungbuk National University Hospital said only about 45% of essential-care doctors had returned after the trainee doctors' dispute and that a pay gap of more than three times made retention impossible. Pusan's director Kim Hae-young (김해영) said job postings drew almost no applicants. Hwa Jeong-seok (화정석) of Gyeongsang National University Hospital said a public children's rehabilitation hospital due for completion this year is preparing to open in 2027 and asked the government to cover deficits from such services. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Son Young-rae (손영래), the health ministry's head of regional, essential and public healthcare, said the hospitals' classification as 'other public institutions' hampers hiring and that the ministry is discussing removing them from it with the Ministry of Economy and Finance, aiming for the first half of next year. He said a labour-cost subsidy for about two years had been included as new budget, that the ministry would consider a public fee schedule specific to national university hospitals, and that the 25% subsidy rate for medical facilities, against 75% for education facilities, should be raised. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The hearing was the first since oversight of the hospitals moved from the Ministry of Education to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and lawmakers said the government's plan to raise them to the level of Seoul's 'Big 5' hospitals faces staffing and financial strain. The ministry's statements point to possible changes in how the hospitals hire, are paid for public services and receive facility subsidies.
Key facts
- The National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee audited nine regional national university hospitals, excluding Seoul National University Hospital, on October 8. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- It was the committee's first audit of these hospitals, after oversight moved from the Ministry of Education to the Ministry of Health and Welfare on August 20. [ 2 , 3 ]
- According to lawmaker Lee Su-jin (이수진), Pusan National University Hospital had 1,070 doctors against a quota of 1,380 as of August, or 77.5%. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Lawmaker Kim Yoon (김윤) said neonatal intensive care staff at Gyeongsang National University Hospital worked an average of 55 hours a week and up to 150 hours, with 16.8 on-call shifts a month on average. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Lawmaker Kim Tae-ho (김태호) said six of the nine hospitals filled less than half of their planned essential-care specialist hires this year. [ 2 ]
- Son Young-rae (손영래) of the health ministry said the ministry is discussing with the Ministry of Economy and Finance removing the hospitals from the 'other public institution' category, which he said hinders hiring. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Son said a labour-cost subsidy for about two years, agreed with the budget ministry, has been included as new budget. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Son said the ministry will consider a public fee schedule specific to national university hospitals. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The Health and Welfare Committee held its first audit of nine regional national university hospitals on October 8 after oversight moved to the health ministry. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Pusan National University Hospital had 1,070 doctors against a quota of 1,380 as of August, 77.5% of the required staff, according to Lee Su-jin. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Kim Yoon said Gyeongsang National University Hospital neonatal intensive care staff worked 55 hours a week on average and up to 150 hours, with a maximum of six consecutive days of work. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Chungbuk National University Hospital director Kim Won-seop (김원섭) said a pay gap of more than three times means the hospital cannot retain essential-care doctors. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Son Young-rae said the ministry aims to remove the hospitals from the 'other public institution' category by around the first half of next year. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Son said a temporary labour-cost subsidy of about two years was included as new budget in agreement with the budget ministry. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Gyeongsang National University Hospital director Hwa Jeong-seok (화정석) asked the government to cover deficits from public children's rehabilitation hospitals, which he said run annual deficits of billions of won. [ 1 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the hospitals will actually be removed from the 'other public institution' category by the first half of next year. Son Young-rae described this as his view and a goal under discussion with the Ministry of Economy and Finance, not a decision.
- What a public fee schedule specific to national university hospitals would look like. Only one outlet reported it, and Son said only that the ministry would consider it.
- Whether the subsidy rate for medical facilities will be raised from 25%. Son said the ministry judges the rate should rise and will discuss it with the budget ministry; no decision is reported.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Yonhap reports the audit's focus on staffing shortages and the ministry's response. [ 1 ]
- Kyunghyang Shinmun reports the ministry will consider a public fee schedule specific to national university hospitals. [ 2 ]
- Newsis reports the ministry's plan to lift 'other public institution' rules and expand support for hiring and facilities. [ 3 ]