The South Korean government will begin subsidising malpractice insurance premiums for doctors working in critical but increasingly underserved medical specialties, reported the Korea Bizwire.
The government has taken this initiative to ease legal burdens that have driven many physicians away from essential care. Under the new programme, the state will cover 50% to 75% of liability premiums for obstetricians, paediatric surgeons and other doctors in high-risk fields, including residents in core training departments such as internal medicine, surgery and emergency care.
The initiative reflects a broader policy goal to reinforce national responsibility for patient safety in essential medical services. Officials say specialties tied to childbirth and children face comparatively high rates of litigation and compensation claims, creating financial risk that contributes to physicians leaving these fields. Insurance coverage currently varies widely, and many clinics remain either uninsured or underinsured.
The Health Ministry has allocated KW5.025bn ($3.6m) this year to launch the system. For eligible specialists, the government will fund up to 75% of annual premiums — roughly KW1.5m per doctor — for policies covering malpractice claims between KW300m and KW1bn.