South Korea’s health ministry will introduce a regional doctor system and set up a public medical academy to strengthen essential and public healthcare services.

Minister Chung Eun-kyung told the National Assembly’s health and welfare committee on Monday that the government will provide “sufficient investment and compensation” to secure medical staff in underserved regions.

In a policy briefing, the ministry said medical school students will be admitted under a new regional track starting as early as 2028, with graduates required to serve in designated areas.

Plans also call for creating a new public medical academy affiliated with the National Medical Center to train doctors dedicated to public health.

The initiatives fulfill key campaign pledges of President Lee Jae-myung and come amid concerns over shortages of physicians in rural and essential fields.

Chung also pledged reforms including expanding health insurance coverage for long-term care hospital fees, strengthening the basic living security program and scaling up integration of medical, nursing and care services nationwide.