The Ministry of Health and Welfare said on the 11th that it finalized the first supplementary budget for 2026 at 346.1 billion won to support vulnerable groups such as low-income households and young people, in response to the burden of high oil prices and high inflation stemming from the prolonged Middle East war.
The supplementary budget increased by 19.8 billion won from the government plan (326.3 billion won) during the National Assembly review. As a result, the ministry's total expenditure rose from 137.4949 trillion won to 137.8410 trillion won.
The supplementary budget will be concentrated on stabilizing the livelihoods of low-income households, supporting young people, and filling medical gaps in underserved areas.
First, the "Just Dream" program to support food for vulnerable groups will expand the number of sites nationwide from 150 to 300. The number of emergency welfare livelihood support cases will also increase by about 16,000, and support for emergency care and daily care services for young and middle-aged adults will be expanded.
The number of beneficiaries of medical aid will be expanded by about 50,000 to strengthen the medical safety net for vulnerable groups.
Support for young people will also be strengthened. The government plans to expand the Youth Future Center, which provides tailored case management for isolated and withdrawn young people and young family caregivers, to 17 metropolitan cities and provinces nationwide.
At child and senior social welfare facilities, 479 additional young care workers will be deployed to simultaneously promote job creation and ease staffing shortages in the welfare field.
Support to address medical gaps in underserved regions is also included. The number of senior doctors will increase from 160 to 180, and the number of contract-based regional essential doctors will rise from 136 to 268. Support for substitute personnel will also be promoted to fill treatment staffing gaps at public health clinics in farming and fishing villages.
In addition, the number of users eligible for daytime activity services for people with developmental disabilities will increase by 1,500, and after-school activity services will expand by 500.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare said it will swiftly execute the supplementary budget to focus on easing the burden on vulnerable groups amid high oil prices and high inflation.