There are only 113 pediatricians nationwide, and 80% of them are concentrated in Seoul. This has led to a serious shortage of pediatric care in rural areas. The reasons for this are analyzed as low compensation, high workload intensity, and an increase in legal liability related to medical accidents. In particular, the support rate for pediatricians plummeted after the death of a newborn at Idaemokdong Hospital in 2017. Recently, political conflicts have further aggravated the shortage of specialists, and according to the results of the residency hospital recruitment in 2025, 85% of 61 hospitals nationwide failed to recruit even one new specialist. Experts are calling this issue a national disaster level and emphasizing the need for policies to support training costs and job security for pediatricians.
