The National Police Agency will carry out a nationwide special enforcement campaign targeting insurance fraud and illegal medical institutions for nine months, from 2 February to 31 October. The campaign involves intensified and coordinated investigations.
The operation will focus on fraud involving both public and private insurance schemes, as well as the establishment and operation of unlicensed medical facilities—commonly referred to as “office hospitals”—and related illegal activities aimed at obtaining insurance payouts, according to local media reports.
Authorities note that insurance fraud continues to occur regularly, exploiting the complexity of insurance systems and resulting in financial losses.
In recent years, fraudulent activities linked to office-based hospitals have become increasingly organised in South Korea, involving coordinated schemes in which industry insiders and brokers leverage their insurance expertise to plan and execute crimes in collusion with medical professionals.
Over the next nine months, dedicated investigative resources will be deployed, including anti-corruption, economic crime and mobile criminal investigation units across regional police agencies. In addition, selected police intelligence teams will be designated as specialised insurance fraud investigation units. For organised or repeat offences, authorities plan to apply provisions under the Criminal Group Organisation Act, alongside measures such as pre-indictment seizure and preservation of criminal proceeds and the recovery of improperly claimed medical benefits, in cooperation with the National Health Insurance Service.
The police will also encourage public reporting by offering rewards to key informants and whistleblowers.