The number of clinical doctors per 1,000 people in Korea is 2.7 as of 2023. This means there are fewer doctors than the average of 3.86 in member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the 30th the 'OECD Health Statistics 2025' with this information.
The number of clinical doctors per 1,000 people in Korea is 2.66, ranking second to last among 38 OECD member countries. The last is Japan (2.65). The statistics for Korea may be lower because traditional medicine doctors are included.
The country with the most doctors is Austria (5.51). It is followed by Italy (5.35), Norway (4.97), and Germany (4.66). The United States had 2.72 based on 2022 figures.
The low number of doctors in Korea is due to a small number of medical school graduates. The number of medical school graduates per 100,000 people in Korea is 7.4. This is about half of the OECD average of 14.3 and ranks third lowest among OECD member countries, behind Israel (7.2) and Canada (7.3). Many countries have higher figures, with Australia (15.3), Mexico (14.5), Germany (12.2), France (11.3), and the United States (8.6) leading.
On the other hand, the frequency of visits is the highest in the world for Korea. Each Korean receives outpatient care from a doctor an average of 18 times a year, the highest among OECD member countries. The OECD average is 6.5 visits.
These figures have formed the basis for the government's policy to increase the number of medical school graduates. It is argued that since there are fewer doctors while the number of outpatient visits per person is high, the supply of doctors needs to be increased.
The Korean Medical Association Organization has a different perspective. They believe that the number of doctors should be compared with Japan, which has similar aging and population changes to Korea. They also argue that there is a shortage not of all doctors but specifically of essential and local doctors. They emphasize the need to create an environment for doctors to engage in essential and local healthcare.
Meanwhile, the number of nurses per 1,000 people in Korea is 5.2, and the total nursing workforce, including nurses and nursing assistants, is 9.5. The OECD averages are 8.4 and 9.7, respectively. The number of nursing graduates per 100,000 people in Korea is 46, which is higher than the OECD average of 35.