Summary：South Korea Struggles with Doctor Shortage While Healthcare Use Soars, OECD Warns **Introduction**

South Korea Struggles with Doctor Shortage While Healthcare Use Soars, OECD Warns

**Introduction**
South Korea’s health system is facing a widening gap between rising patient demand and a dwindling supply of physicians. Recent data from the Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development (OECD) shows that outpatient visits and hospital admissions have climbed steadily over the past five years, yet the number of practicing doctors per 1,000 residents remains below the OECD average. The warning highlights a structural imbalance that could jeopardize the quality and accessibility of care if left unaddressed.

**Key Developments**
In 2023, South Korea recorded more than 1.4 billion outpatient consultations, a 12 % increase compared with 2019. At the same time, the physician workforce grew by only 3 %, leaving roughly 2.4 doctors for every 1,000 people—well under the OECD mean of 3.5. Rural provinces feel the strain most acutely; some counties report fewer than one doctor per 2,000 residents, prompting residents to travel long distances for basic services. The government has responded with a series of measures, including expanded medical school enrollment quotas and incentives for doctors to work in underserved areas, but uptake has been slow.

**Industry Analysis**
Analysts point to several converging factors behind the shortage. First, the rigorous training pathway—six years of medical school followed by a mandatory residency—discourages many graduates from pursuing primary‑care specialties, which are perceived as less lucrative and more demanding. Second, an aging population is driving higher utilization of chronic‑disease management services, increasing the workload on existing clinicians. Third, the COVID‑19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of telehealth, which, while improving access, also revealed gaps in the ability of physicians to manage virtual caseloads alongside traditional duties.

The OECD report stresses that without a coordinated strategy that addresses both supply‑side constraints and demand‑side pressures, South Korea risks eroding the universal coverage that has been