Health Care Overhaul Faces Awareness Gap Despite Broad Public Support (Image supported by ChatGPT)
SEOUL, Jan. 14 (Korea Bizwire) — A large majority of South Koreans agree that the country’s health care system needs reform, but most remain largely unaware of the government’s ongoing overhaul aimed at strengthening regional and essential medical services, according to a new survey.
A nationwide poll of 2,000 adults conducted by the Gyeonggi Research Institute found that 76.5 percent of respondents believe health care reform is necessary.
Yet 86.7 percent said they either had not heard of the government’s current reform initiative or knew little about it. More than one-third said they had never heard of the effort at all, while just 1.1 percent said they were well informed.
Awareness was especially low among younger adults. Nearly half of respondents in their 20s said they were unfamiliar with the reform agenda, highlighting a generational gap in engagement with health policy debates.
When asked about the most pressing problems in the health care system, respondents most frequently cited shortages in essential medical services, followed by regional disparities in access to care and the breakdown of the medical referral system.
A doctor walks past an emergency room at a general hospital in Seoul on Aug. 22, 2024. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
Concerns varied by age: younger adults pointed to disputes arising from medical accidents and the long-term sustainability of the national health insurance system, while older respondents emphasized rising medical costs and what they saw as excessive use of health services.
Perceptions of regional inequality were also sharply divided. Nearly 40 percent of respondents living outside the Seoul metropolitan area described regional health care gaps as “very serious,” compared with 29 percent of those in the capital region.
A lack of medical professionals in provincial areas, the concentration of resources in large cities, and patients’ preference for major Seoul hospitals were cited as the main drivers of imbalance.
Researchers said the findings underscore a disconnect between public consensus on the need for reform and limited understanding of the government’s plans.
They called for stronger communication and broader public engagement, arguing that lasting changes will require not only policy design but also sustained public trust and participation.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
