New Minister of Health and Welfare Jeong Eun-kyeong said, 'I will promote a 국민 중심 medical reform that can be agreed upon by both the public and the healthcare community.'
Minister Jeong noted in her inaugural address on the 22nd, 'I will provide necessary medical care to the public in a timely manner and secure the sustainability of the health care system.'
She said, 'I will introduce a healthcare workforce supply forecasting committee to implement scientific estimates of the appropriate workforce size,' adding, 'I will ensure a stable supply of personnel in regional, essential, and public healthcare, as well as provide adequate compensation.'
Additionally, she added, 'I will foster National University Hospital operations as a control tower for regional public and essential healthcare and push for the institutionalization of non-face-to-face medical treatment while ensuring both patient safety and convenience.'
Minister Jeong pointed out that there are numerous urgent issues the ministry needs to address, including prolonged conflicts in the medical community, crises in regional, essential, and public healthcare, increased demand for caregiving due to ultra-aging, and the world's highest elderly poverty rate and suicide rate, stating, 'To create a Korea where everyone can live well together, strengthening the social safety net and promoting public health is more important than ever for the ministry.'
In addition, she promised to ▲establish a comprehensive social safety net ▲enhance national responsibility for caregiving ▲lay the groundwork for a leap into a strong future in health and welfare ▲boost morale among ministry employees.
Minister Jeong, who served as the head of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency during the Moon Jae-in administration, directed the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and is the sixth consecutive health and welfare minister with a medical background. President Lee Jae-myung approved her appointment the previous afternoon.