1주차| 보건,의료 _ 박수환

[박수환]

Inaugural Speech of the Minister of Health and Welfare

https://www.mohw.go.kr/board.es?mid=a20401000000&bid=0032&tag=&act=view&list_no=1487053

Glossary

1. Basic Livelihood Program - 국민기초생활보장제도

Word Count: 408

Dear colleagues of the Ministry of Health and Welfare,

It is an honor and privilege to greet you today as the first Minister of Health and Welfare under the Lee Jae Myung administration. Along with great joy, I feel a profound sense of duty and responsibility.

You have long served as dedicated guardians of the health and welfare of our people.

I know how tirelessly you have worked to improve the quality of life for all citizens, faithfully fulfilling your responsibilities despite the seemingly endless challenges we have faced, from the COVID-19 pandemic to the ongoing conflicts between the government and medical community.

Today, as a fellow citizen of the Republic of Korea,

I would like to express my sincere gratitude for your unwavering commitment and hard work.

Our nation now stands at a crossroads, facing serious crises and critical challenges.

The slowing pace of economic growth, widening social polarization, rapidly changing demographics, and evolving technologies such as AI are fundamentally transforming the policy landscape.

At the same time, our Ministry has an extremely long list of issues to deal with. The government-medical community conflict has not been resolved, and regional, essential, and public healthcare systems are under strain. The demand for care services continues to rise in our rapidly aging society, and the country’s elderly poverty and suicide rates are still some of the highest in the world.

To overcome these crises and build “a Korea where everyone can prosper together,” we must, now more than ever, focus on the Ministry’s core mission: strengthening the social safety net and promoting the health of our people.

To that end, I will work hand in hand with you to actively pursue the following priorities.

First, we will build a comprehensive and seamless social safety net.

We will gradually expand child allowance, improve the fundamentals of our National Pension and Basic Pension schemes, and engage in other measures to establish income security that protects citizens across every stage of life, from childhood to seniority. 

We will reinforce the Basic Livelihood Program as the final safety net for those in need, and expand sickness benefits to ensure everyone has the right to “rest when ill.”

To address social isolation, we will create tailored support systems for groups such as young people and middle-aged adults.

We will also use big data to proactively identify households in crisis and make welfare services more accessible and user-friendly, so that no one is left behind.