Signal 95.5 percent of Korea's 89 designated depopulation areas are medically underserved

Summary

The medical and welfare overview observes that of the 89 cities, counties and districts designated as population-decline areas by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety in 2021, 95.5 percent are classified as medically underserved. The survey treats this as clear evidence that service shortages in depopulating regions are becoming visible. It points out in the same passage that medical and welfare facilities have kept expanding overall but with marked regional imbalance. So far, the weakening of services caused by population decline has shown up mainly in rural and fishing communities. The figure supports the case for a guaranteed minimum level of medical and welfare infrastructure regardless of where people live.