100 "Contract-Based Essential Local Doctors" to Be Deployed in Busan, Daegu, Ulsan, Chungbuk, and Jeonbuk
Ministry of Health and Welfare Expands Pilot Project to a Total of 11 Regions
The government will provide support for 20 “contract-based essential local doctors” each in Busan, Daegu, Ulsan, Chungbuk, and Jeonbuk, totaling 100 doctors.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on June 29, 2026, that it has selected five additional metropolitan local governments to newly participate in this year’s pilot project for the “contract-based essential local doctor system,” with funding secured from the 2026 supplementary budget.
The pilot project for the contract-based essential local doctor system is a program in which specialists work for an extended period at general hospitals or higher-level medical institutions within the region, providing care in essential departments. Both the central and local governments jointly support regional work allowances and living conditions. The relevant departments include internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, emergency medicine, cardiothoracic surgery, neurology, and neurosurgery.
Launched in July last year, the pilot project is currently being implemented in six regions: Gangwon, Chungnam, Jeonnam, Gyeongbuk, Gyeongnam, and Jeju. Of these, a total of 89 doctors (specialists) are being supported in four regions: Gangwon, Jeonnam, Gyeongnam, and Jeju.
The Ministry held an open call for additional regions to participate in the pilot project from May 22 to June 11, 2026, and, through a selection evaluation committee composed of experts in healthcare, ultimately selected five metropolitan local governments: Busan, Daegu, Ulsan, Chungbuk, and Jeonbuk.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare, together with local governments and medical institutions, plans to provide regional work allowances of 4 million won per month and support for living conditions so that 20 specialists in each of these regions, a total of 100 doctors, can work as contract-based local doctors. The respective local governments will also provide additional benefits to these doctors, such as support for participation and registration fees for domestic and international academic conferences, professional training expenses (Busan), a 1 million won welcome bonus (Daegu), housing support (Ulsan), provision of educational and research environments, official residence and housing expenses (Chungbuk), and support related to pregnancy and childbirth (Jeonbuk).
The Ministry also plans to regularly monitor the progress in each region to ensure smooth implementation. Recruitment of participants will begin in regions that are ready, with full-scale support starting from October 2026.
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Ko Hyoungwoo, Director of Essential Medical Support at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, stated, “By expanding the regions participating in the pilot project for the contract-based essential local doctor system, we expect to mitigate the shortage of essential medical personnel in local areas and help address gaps in medical care. We will continue our efforts to establish a regional, self-sufficient healthcare system, so that the public can have stable access to essential medical services anytime, anywhere.”
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