South Korea’s Healthcare Crisis: Doctor Shortages Worsen as Young Physicians Pick Dermatology

Seoul, South Korea, September 8, 2025 – South Korea’s healthcare system faces a growing crisis as new doctors increasingly open dermatology and plastic surgery clinics, sidelining critical fields like pediatrics and surgery, according to health officials and recent data. This shift exacerbates shortages in essential medical services, leaving patients, particularly in rural areas, struggling to access care.

The South Korea doctor shortage impacts patients nationwide, especially in rural regions, where access to essential medical services like pediatrics, obstetrics, and emergency care is dwindling. Young doctors, medical students, and residents are also central to the issue, with many abandoning residencies to open general practice clinics. The Korean Medical Association (KMA), representing two-thirds of the nation’s doctors, and political figures like Rep. Jeon Jin-sook of the Democratic Party of Korea are vocal stakeholders, alongside President Yoon Suk Yeol’s administration.

A surge in new clinics 176 opened by general practitioners from January to July 2025, a 36.4% increase from 129 the previous year this highlights a troubling trend, per data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. Dermatology dominates 83% of these clinics, followed by plastic surgery, while only a fraction focus on family medicine, internal medicine, or orthopedics. This shift worsens shortages in critical specialties, with pediatric specialists dropping to 6,438 in July 2025, down from 6,467 in 2024, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

The crisis erupted in February 2024, following the government’s controversial announcement to increase medical school admissions by 67%, adding 2,000 students annually to reach 5,058 by 2025. This sparked protests and mass resignations, fueling the South Korea medical crisis 2024–2025.

Geographically, 70% of new clinics cluster in the Seoul metropolitan area, with 41% in Seoul alone, while rural regions like Seosan and Sokcho struggle to fill specialist roles. These regional healthcare disparities in Korea are leaving rural populations particularly vulnerable.

President Yoon Suk Yeol noted ,"Korea will need an additional 15,000 doctors by 2035 to meet the growing demand from the rapidly aging population and other factors."⁽¹⁾

These fields offer high profits from uninsured cosmetic procedures and lower legal risks compared to high-stakes specialties like obstetrics, where a 2023 ruling ordered a $900,000 payout in a malpractice case. The government’s push to expand medical school quotas, intended to address doctor shortages, sparked fierce opposition, leading many young doctors to bypass residencies and open general practice clinics.

The South Korea healthcare crisis has delayed non-essential procedures, forced hospitals into triage mode, and left rural areas underserved, with 14.8% of cities and counties lacking emergency facilities, according to The Real.

Public frustration is mounting, with patient groups and civic organizations like the Jogye Order urging doctors to return, per Korean Broadcasting System. In response, the government has pledged 10 trillion won ($7.2 billion) by 2028 to boost fees for critical fields, but experts argue this will not solve the South Korea doctor shortage without reforms addressing litigation risks, resident overwork, and regional inequalities.

(Rh/Eth/VK/MSM)