South Korea's integrated care service strained by severe staff shortages

South Korea's ambitious integrated care service, designed to support elderly and disabled residents in their homes, is struggling to gain traction due to a severe lack of dedicated personnel in local government offices. Five months after its nationwide launch, the program's core mission of timely support is being undermined by overworked staff juggling multiple responsibilities.

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I am the only social welfare official at the sub-county office. I have to handle not only welfare tasks but also issue personal seals and process civil complaints, making it difficult to leave my post. I cannot possibly go to the field due to integrated care issues.

A survey revealed that a staggering 81.7% of the 6,297 local government officials involved in integrated care are also managing other administrative tasks. The situation is even more critical at the town and township level, where only 151 dedicated personnel are responsible for the program across 3,560 offices. These local officials are tasked with everything from identifying potential recipients to processing applications and monitoring their well-being.

This staffing crisis directly contradicts earlier promises from the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, which had pledged to ensure at least one dedicated staff member per town and township office. Adding to the problem, some local governments have appointed administrative staff, rather than social welfare specialists, to these roles, raising concerns about the program's professional execution and continuity.

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In rural areas, there are many elderly people living alone, so we need to visit their homes to assess their situation and provide services.

Experts are calling for urgent intervention, highlighting the critical need for dedicated personnel to connect recipients with local resources. They stress that central government financial support is essential, particularly for less affluent regions. "For integrated care to take root successfully, deploying dedicated personnel to identify recipients and link them with local infrastructure is crucial," said Jeon Yong-ho, a professor of social welfare at Incheon University. "For local governments with low financial independence, active personnel cost support from the central government is necessary."

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For integrated care to take root successfully, deploying dedicated personnel to identify recipients and link them with local infrastructure is crucial. For local governments with low financial independence, active personnel cost support from the central government is necessary.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare has stated that recruitment processes are underway and that dedicated personnel will be continuously assigned by the end of the year. The government also plans to subsidize the personnel costs for 2,400 integrated care staff over the next two years. However, concerns remain about the program's immediate effectiveness and the long-term sustainability of its staffing model.

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In rural areas where integrated care is essential, the phenomenon of social welfare officials avoiding work is severe, and some places cannot hire staff. Separate measures must be prepared.