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🇰🇷 South Korea /Health & Science

South Korea to Freeze Health Insurance Premium Rate at 7.19% Next Year

From Dong-A Ilbo · () Korean

Translated from Korean and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Official statement Approved/passed
  • South Korea will keep the 2027 national health insurance premium rate at 7.19%, unchanged from this year.
  • The decision reflects expanded government support and expected growth in premium revenue linked to the semiconductor industry.
  • The Health Ministry said the system has recorded surpluses for five consecutive years and holds reserves equal to about 3.5 months of spending, or 30.2 trillion won.

South Korea will freeze next year's health insurance premium rate at 7.19%, ending a one-year rise after the rate remained unchanged in 2024 and 2025.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced the decision on the 8th after a meeting of the Health Insurance Policy Deliberation Committee. The amount used to calculate property-based premiums for regional subscribers will also stay at 211.5 won per assessment point.

The government said it considered increased state support and the prospect of higher premium revenue as the semiconductor industry remains strong. Government support for next year is expected to rise by 1.1 trillion won from this year.

The premium rate debate had divided opinion. Some argued that increases should be restrained to ease household costs, while others said higher rates were needed to meet rising medical spending and preserve coverage. The ministry said health insurance finances remain stable, citing surpluses over the past five years and reserves covering 3.5 months of spending, worth 30.2 trillion won.

About this summary

Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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