The government will begin contributing to the cost of long-term nursing care, which is not currently covered by South Korea's national health insurance, starting next year. 

The health ministry said the plan, which aims to aid patients with serious medical needs, will cost about six-point-five trillion won over five years and will reduce out-of-pocket costs for such care to approximately 30 percent by 2030.

The government will designate 200 “medical-centered” nursing hospitals in 2026 and expand that network to 500 facilities by 2030, serving roughly 80-thousand patients.

That will lower the current average monthly nursing cost to 600-thousand won, or approximately 431 U.S. dollars, to 800-thousand won from its current two million won to two-point-67 million won.

The government also plans to supplement caregiving staff by securing foreign employees to work outside the capital area, as well as to create a patient-monitoring system through the National Health Insurance Service.

Detailed measures will be finalized by December pending review by the Health Insurance Policy Deliberation Committee.