Government abruptly delays health insurance premium hike announcement Seoul postponed an announcement on higher national health insurance premiums amid concerns of backlash over rising household financial burdens. 2026.7.29
'A cancer relapse would be easier': Leukemia coverage catch-22 forces patients to abandon treatment Korea’s five-year catastrophic illness rule is pushing chronic myeloid leukemia patients to stop lifelong treatment when tests show no detectable cancer. 2026.6.18
Young and losing your hair? The government may have you covered. Health coverage could include hair loss treatment for Koreans aged 20 to 35, but Health Ministry plans to solicit public input, weigh options before making a decision. 2026.6.16
Foreign residents have broad access to Korea's health care system. Rising costs and fraud concerns may change that. Long-term foreign residents from countries with low access to health care do not have to worry about seeing a doctor in Korea. But with their medical bills soaring, the government has moved to overhaul the insurance system. 2026.5.21
Food delivery drop mix-up leads to verbal abuse by NHIS intern A delivery worker was verbally abused by an intern at a regional office of the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) over the placement of a food delivery, according to a report by JTBC's “Crime Chief” (2014-) on Tuesday. 2025.11.27
Fraudulent health insurance claims by foreigners rise after 2-year decline Fraudulent health insurance claims by foreign nationals and overseas Koreans increased sharply in 2024, reversing a two-year decline, with the monetary value of such claims rising nearly 30 percent. 2025.5.4
Tobacco companies score legal victory against Korea's national health insurer The state health insurer suffered a setback in its six-year court battle against three tobacco companies on Friday, after a local court rejected its request for compensation from the cigarette giants to offset the treatment costs for diseases... 2020.11.20
![The Jongno branch of the National Health Insurance Service in central Seoul on Feb. 2, 2024 [YONHAP]](https://image.koreajoongangdaily.com/12574786.jpg?imageId=12574786&width=240&height=184&format=webp&format=jpg)
![The image, aired on a recent episode of JTBC's “Crime Chief” (2014-), shows the location where the delivery worker left the food, marked with a green circle, and the location the National Health Insurance Service intern claims it should have been placed, marked with a red circle. [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://image.koreajoongangdaily.com/12401227.jpg?imageId=12401227&width=240&height=184&format=webp&format=jpg)
![The National Health Insurance Service Mapo Branch in Mapo District, western Seoul [NEWS1]](https://image.koreajoongangdaily.com/12163478.jpg?imageId=12163478&width=240&height=184&format=webp&format=jpg)
![In this file photo, cigarettes are displayed at a convenient store in Seoul. [YONHAP]](https://image.koreajoongangdaily.com/11466117.jpg?imageId=11466117&width=240&height=184&format=webp&format=jpg)