Newborn unit at a hospital in Seoul (Yonhap)
SEOUL, June 9 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s rapidly aging population is reshaping the country’s most common reasons for hospitalization, overtaking once-dominant childbirth-related admissions, according to newly released health data.
The Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) announced on June 8 that the most common cause of hospitalization covered by the national health insurance system in 2024 was senile cataracts — an eye condition associated with aging. A total of 337,270 patients were hospitalized for cataract surgery last year, up 5.4% from 320,061 cases in 2023.
Senile cataracts were followed by pneumonia of unspecified cause (308,287 patients), gastrointestinal infections (244,125), and intervertebral disc disorders (220,212) as the top four causes of hospitalization.
A decade ago, the most common reason for hospitalization was birth-related: in 2014, “live births by place of occurrence” — a medical classification used for newborns — topped the list with 373,597 cases. That figure has since dropped to 207,398 in 2024, now ranking fifth.
In contrast, hospitalizations for senile cataracts in 2014 numbered just 251,008, placing it third at the time.
The demographic shift reflects South Korea’s steep decline in births — from approximately 430,000 in 2014 to just 240,000 in 2024 — and the simultaneous surge in the elderly population. These trends have directly altered the national healthcare system’s patient profile and spending priorities.
Alzheimer’s disease accounted for the highest medical expenditure among hospitalized patients in 2024, with national health insurance spending reaching 1.869 trillion won (approximately $1.4 billion). Stroke, pneumonia, and knee osteoarthritis followed in terms of cost burden.
In outpatient care, gum disease and periodontitis once again topped the list with 19.59 million visits, followed by acute bronchitis (17.6 million), allergic rhinitis (7.4 million), and essential hypertension (7.33 million).
The findings underscore the growing strain on South Korea’s healthcare system as it adapts to an aging, low-birthrate society — a challenge increasingly mirrored in the nation’s public policy and healthcare infrastructure.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
