Journalist

Choe In-hyeok
  •  New physician shortage forecast shows Koreas medical standoff remains unresolved
     New physician shortage forecast shows Korea's medical standoff remains unresolved SEOUL, December 31 (AJP) -South Korea could face a shortage of up to about 11,000 doctors by 2040, according to a new government-backed projection, underscoring brewing healthcare crisis rooted in delayed medical reform after a year-long fallout from mass walkouts by doctors. The estimate was released Tuesday by the physician workforce supply-and-demand projection committee, an independent body under the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The panel projected that physician demand will continue to outpace supply even under multiple scenarios that factor in productivity gains from artificial intelligence and policy efforts to curb excessive medical use. Under its baseline model, the committee forecast demand of 144,688 to 149,273 doctors by 2040, compared with a projected supply of 138,137 to 138,984 — leaving a shortfall of 5,700 to 11,100 physicians. In 2035, the gap is estimated at 1,500 to 4,900 doctors. The findings will be submitted to the Health and Medical Policy Deliberation Committee, which is preparing to review medical school enrollment quotas for the 2027 academic year and beyond. Intensive discussions are expected to begin in January. The projection revives a politically sensitive issue that triggered one of the most serious healthcare disruptions in recent years. In February 2024, the government announced plans to raise annual medical school admissions by 2,000 students — a 67 percent increase — beginning in 2025, citing long-term shortages linked to population aging. The move prompted strong opposition from doctors’ groups, leading to mass resignations by residents and interns. At the peak of the protest in March 2024, more than 11,000 doctors had left their posts, forcing hospitals to scale back surgeries and emergency services. Beyond overall headcount, the data point to deep imbalances in how medical labor is distributed. An increasing number of newly licensed doctors are opening private clinics in highly profitable, low-risk fields such as dermatology and plastic surgery, while essential specialties continue to face shortages. From January to July 2025, 176 new clinics were opened by general practitioners, up 36.4 percent from a year earlier. Dermatology accounted for more than 80 percent of those openings. By contrast, the number of pediatric specialists declined to 6,438 in July 2025, down from the previous year. Regional disparities remain pronounced. About 70 percent of new clinics are concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area, leaving many rural regions struggling to secure emergency, obstetric and surgical services. Health officials acknowledge that expanding medical school enrollment alone cannot resolve these imbalances. High litigation risks, long working hours and relatively low compensation continue to deter young doctors from entering essential fields. The government has pledged to invest 10 trillion won by 2028 to raise fees for critical specialties, but experts say financial incentives alone are unlikely to be sufficient without broader reforms to training, liability rules and regional deployment. As deliberations resume over future enrollment quotas, the new forecast highlights why physician supply remains one of the country’s most politically sensitive policy challenges — a problem temporarily contained but far from resolved. Medical school enrollment quotas are politically sensitive in Korea because they sit at the crossroads of healthcare policy and elite education. Expanding quotas affects not only the long-term supply of doctors but also the country’s highly competitive university hierarchy, as top-performing students overwhelmingly prefer medical schools for their income stability and social status. Any change reshapes entrance exam dynamics, private education demand and the allocation of elite talent away from science and engineering. 2025-12-31 07:44:51
  • Lee begins work at Cheong Wa Dae as presidential office moves back
    Lee begins work at Cheong Wa Dae as presidential office moves back SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung worked his first day at Cheong Wa Dae on Monday as the presidential office moved back to the sprawling presidential compound in central Seoul. The relocation comes about 1,330 days after the office moved to Yongsan in May 2022 with the inauguration of his predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached over his Dec. 3 declaration of martial law last year. Lee arrived there at about 9 a.m., greeted by supporters who gathered outside chanting his name. Lee will continue commuting from his current residence in Hannam-dong for the time being, as repairs to the official residence are not yet finished. Upon relocation, a symbolic flag representing the country's head of state was raised at Cheong Wa Dae again. The flag features the national flower mugunghwa or rose of Sharon at the center, flanked by two mythical phoenixes facing each other. 2025-12-29 10:37:45
  • No special amnesty planned for Christmas
    No special amnesty planned for Christmas SEOUL, December 22 (AJP) - There will be no special amnesty for next week's Christmas and New Year's holidays. According to sources from the ruling Democratic Party (DP) on Monday, President Lee Jae Myung has not started reviewing year-end pardons. Such special pardons typically take about a month from the Justice Ministry's review to a final decision. In August, just two months after taking office, Lee granted pardons to a total of 836,687 people including Cho Kuk, leader of the minor Rebuilding Korea Party serving a prison term for corruption related to his children's university admissions, and Yoon Mi-hyang, former head of a charity for wartime sex slavery victims, who received a three-year suspended sentence for embezzling donations. For this reason, Lee appears to see little need for another round of pardons. Nevertheless, parole could be expanded to address overcrowding in correctional facilities. During a briefing from the ministry last week, Lee instructed officials to grant parole when there is no risk of reoffending and victims have been compensated. 2025-12-22 16:43:01
  • Lee pushes for speedy construction of presidential office in Sejong
    Lee pushes for speedy construction of presidential office in Sejong SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung on Friday expressed hope for the speedy construction of a new presidential office in the administrative city of Sejong, scheduled for completion by 2030, saying he wants to "retire from there." Speaking at a briefing by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Lee expressed hope to expedite its timeline if possible, saying, "Otherwise, I would barely be able to use it." During his election campaign earlier this year, he suggested that he would first move to the current presidential office in Yongsan, then to Cheong Wa Dae, and eventually relocate to Sejong, where most ministerial offices and other government agencies have been moved since 2012 as part of efforts to promote balanced regional development. Kang Ju-yeop, in charge of the construction project, said the current plan requires two years for design and two years for construction, admitting the difficulty of meeting the 2030 target. Lee then clarified that he was simply expressing his wish to expedite the project, cautioning against cutting corners. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-12 18:01:52
  • Over 100 South Koreans brought home from Cambodia over online scams
    Over 100 South Koreans brought home from Cambodia over online scams SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - The government has brought back some 107 South Korean suspects allegedly involved in online scam crimes in Cambodia, the presidential office said on Friday. During a press briefing, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said a sweeping crackdown has been conducted in cooperation with the Southeast Asian country since October, making it possible to bring them back. The efforts were made following revelations of a series of kidnappings, detentions and brutal tortures involving South Koreans, including the case of a college student who traveled there after being lured by an online employment scam in August and was later found to have been tortured to death. According to Kang, the cumulative number of suspects arrested in Cambodia along with those soon to be deported to here stood at 154 as of the end of November. Cases of South Korean nationals being detained or reported missing in Cambodia also dropped significantly, from 93 in October to 17 in November. In late October, shortly after the student's death was revealed, a special task force consisting of multiple government agencies including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, and the National Intelligence Service was formed, leading to joint measures with the Cambodian government. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-12 15:32:20
  • Peru to buy South Koreas K2 battle tanks, armored vehicles in $1.5 billion deal
    Peru to buy South Korea's K2 battle tanks, armored vehicles in $1.5 billion deal SEOUL, December 10 (AJP) - Peru has agreed to purchase South Korea’s domestically developed K2 main battle tanks, becoming the first Latin American country to acquire the platform, South Korea’s presidential office said on Wednesday. The contract, valued at about 2 trillion won ($1.5 billion), covers the supply of 54 K2 tanks and 141 armored vehicles, for a total of 195 units, and represents South Korea’s largest-ever defense export to Latin America. If implemented, the deal would mark the first deployment of K2 tanks in the Latin American region. President Lee Jae Myung welcomed the signing, saying it would significantly strengthen defense cooperation between the two countries and emphasizing the importance of building a mutually beneficial defense partnership. The signing ceremony was held in Peru on Sunday afternoon local time and was presided over by Peru’s President Jose Harry. Lee Yong-chul, head of South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration, attended the event on behalf of the Korean government. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-10 11:24:51
  • Lee to reflect on first year of martial law debacle with special address
    Lee to reflect on first year of martial law debacle with special address SEOUL, December 1 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung is set to deliver a special address on Dec. 3, as South Korea marks the first anniversary of disgraced former President Yoon Suk-yeol's martial law debacle. His address is expected to focus on the key role of the people and the National Assembly in swiftly ending the martial law, which plunged the nation into political turmoil, according to the presidential office. Lee will honor the efforts of South Koreans who turned chaos into peace in his address, which will be followed by a press conference attended by over 80 international journalists and broadcast live for about an hour. Lee is also likely to highlight the recovery of democracy and deliver a message of national unity, as he has consistently emphasized the resilience of South Korean democracy at recent multilateral gatherings including last month's G20 summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. Lee Kyu-yeon, the presidential chief of public relations, said on Sunday, "Wednesday will hold significant meaning as the day citizens and journalists defended national sovereignty against martial law." He added that the president will observe the anniversary with a "calm but meaningful schedule," which includes a luncheon with key officials such as Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, National Assembly speaker Woo Won-shik, and the Supreme Court's chief justice Cho Hee-dae. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-01 15:22:25
  • Lee returns home after 10-day multi-nation tour
    Lee returns home after 10-day multi-nation tour SEOUL, November 26 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung returned home after his 10-day overseas trip to the Middle East and Africa. He arrived at a military airport in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province at 8:20 a.m., where he was greeted by key officials including Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik. Starting with a state visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last week, Lee traveled to Egypt before attending the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, and concluded his tour with a brief stop in Turkey. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-26 11:07:35
  • Lee meets Japanese and Chinese leaders at G20 in South Africa
    Lee meets Japanese and Chinese leaders at G20 in South Africa SEOUL, November 24 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung held a marathon round of meetings with global leaders on the sidelines of the Group of 20 (G20) in South Africa over the weekend. According to the presidential office on Monday, Lee on Sunday met with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi again after their previous meeting at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the southeastern city of Gyeongju late last month. The two leaders emphasized the importance of their bilateral relationship amid rising global tensions and reaffirmed their commitment to future-oriented cooperation. Lee stressed the shared responsibility to manage bilateral relations in a stable manner and called for tangible progress in key areas of cooperation. The two leaders also agreed to continue their shuttle diplomacy and strengthen communication on major economic and security issues. In his subsequent meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Lee proposed further consolidating the recently restored relations between Seoul and Beijing, building on the momentum from Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to South Korea for the APEC summit. Li expressed hope for deeper cooperation and the long-term development of bilateral ties. Lee extended his regards to Xi and expressed his desire to meet him in Beijing soon, with Li promising to pass the message. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-24 09:06:16
  • No hostile intention toward North Korea, South Korea says
    No hostile intention toward North Korea, South Korea says SEOUL, November 18 (AJP) - South Korea has "no hostile or confrontational intent toward North Korea," the presidential office said on Tuesday, suggesting that it will continue to pursue rapprochement with the North. "We have no hostile or confrontational intent toward the North," said spokesperson Kang Yu-jung. She added, "We will continue working to ease inter-Korean tensions and restore trust between the two Koreas." The remarks came just hours after North Korea harshly denounced a joint fact sheet detailing trade and security agreements between Seoul and Washington, which was released last week after the two countries finalized a tariff-related deal during U.S. President Donald Trump's visit here late last month. Kang stressed that South Korea's security cooperation with the U.S. is aimed at strengthening peace and security on the Korean Peninsula while protecting national interests. Earlier in the day, the state-run Korean Central News Agency criticized the fact sheet, claiming that it reveals a "confrontational stance" and vowing to take countermeasures. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-18 15:35:46