Public Nursing Homes Face Worsening Financial Crisis; Government Support Urgently Needed

Public nursing hospitals responsible for caring for low-income elderly individuals are increasingly closing down due to financial difficulties. This situation can lead to instability in the living arrangements for seniors.

A guardian, who had entrusted a family member to the provincial Pohang Nursing Hospital for the past three years, reported being informed that the hospital would only operate until the end of this month. After transferring their family member to a private nursing hospital, the monthly cost burden increased by over 20%.

The provincial Pohang Nursing Hospital, operated by Pohang Medical Center, recorded a deficit exceeding 1.1 billion won last year. Consequently, plans are underway to cease its operation as a nursing hospital and convert it into a dementia relief center. Among the 16 public nursing hospitals in the Gyeongbuk region, Ulleung closed in 2022 and Pohang this year. The remaining 13 facilities, excluding Gyeongsan, are also facing operational difficulties, recording annual deficits of several hundred million won.

Public nursing hospitals incur high personnel costs but are mostly managed by local autonomous bodies without national or provincial funding, placing a significant financial burden on them. For integrated care services to function effectively at the local level, financial support from the central government is essential to back these nursing hospitals.