The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    INTERVIEWAhn Hyo-seop wanted to share dedicated love with 'A Time Called You'

  • 3

    SHINee launches first Japan tour in 5 years

  • 5

    S. Korea wins 1st table tennis gold in 21 yrs

  • 7

    Heavy traffic jams mostly eased on 5th day of holiday

  • 9

    LA-based photographer captures Koreatown unfazed by pandemic

  • 11

    Samsung chief visits Middle East to explore new businesses

  • 13

    Korea picks up 2 medals in table tennis as gold drought continues

  • 15

    Ruling party vows to investigate China's alleged influence operations

  • 17

    Shin-Hanul No. 2 nuclear reactor begins testing for full operation next year

  • 19

    4 injured in rockfall at tourist attraction on eastern island of Ulleung

  • 2

    Korea's Coast Guard apprehends 22 Chinese after illegal entry attempt

  • 4

    Distraught roller skater apologizes for costly premature celebration

  • 6

    Korea makes last-ditch bid to host World Expo 2030 in Busan

  • 8

    Consumers to face higher prices for daily necessities after Chuseok

  • 10

    Public transit fares to increase in Seoul and Busan this week

  • 12

    No regrets for roller skaters after taking silver in relay

  • 14

    National Assembly speeds up efforts to outlaw dog meat consumption in Korea

  • 16

    'Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman' tops Chuseok holiday box office

  • 18

    Internet-only banks outperform legacy lenders in labor productivity

  • 20

    Genesis GV80 Coupe looks to compete with Mercedes-Benz, BMW

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Wed, October 4, 2023 | 15:11
Politics
Lee, Yoon clash over health insurance coverage for foreign residents
Posted : 2022-02-02 17:01
Updated : 2022-02-03 17:08
Ko Dong-hwan
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
People Power Party presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol, right, meets vendors at a traditional market in Ganghwa County, Incheon, Feb. 1. Newsis
People Power Party presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol, right, meets vendors at a traditional market in Ganghwa County, Incheon, Feb. 1. Newsis

Yoon pledges to tighten rules; Lee urges him to stop 'hatred and discrimination'

By Ko Dong-hwan

State health insurance coverage for foreigners living in Korea has become the latest point of contention between the presidential candidates of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) and ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK).

The standoff started off with PPP candidate Yoon Suk-yeol saying on Facebook, Sunday, that he will apply more stringent standards to screen foreigners living in Korea who are benefiting from the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) coverage.

Yoon, who is leading major public opinion polls as of early this month, said he will raise the bar for foreigners so that NHIS coverage will be more limited and less available to their family members or other dependents. He described foreigners as "putting their spoons on meal tables that have been prepared for Korean citizens through their hard efforts for the past 40 years."

Yoon specifically targeted Chinese residents, saying, "Eight out of 10 people who were covered the most by the NHIS (in 2021) were Chinese, with six of them being their dependents." He added that the Chinese dependent who was reimbursed by the NHIS the most received about 3.3 billion won ($2.72 million), while having paid only 10 percent of their medical bills.

"Foreigners wishing to apply for NHIS coverage are required to live in Korea for at least six months, but their dependents aren't subject to such requirements," wrote Yoon. "It allows them to come to the country to take advantage of the service and leave soon after they are done with their medical treatments."

DPK presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung countered Yoon's pledge on Wednesday. On Facebook, Lee told Yoon to stop his "politics that encourages hatred of foreigners," disagreeing with his argument that foreign nationals are "putting their spoons on tables prepared for Koreans."

"The fact is that the country has profited more than 500 billion won from foreign national residents' insurance payments," Lee said. "The ones who are actually benefiting from the service (those whose reimbursed amounts surpass their insurance payments) are Korean citizens."

People Power Party presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol, right, meets vendors at a traditional market in Ganghwa County, Incheon, Feb. 1. Newsis
Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, right, meets local residents of Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, Feb. 1. Newsis

Lee went on, describing Yoon's xenophobic campaign as an "ultra-conservative populist pledge that's hazardous to the country," and compared it to "the words of the Nazis."

"Instigating hatred and discrimination to encourage conflict and divide the country is old-style Yeouido politics," said Lee, referring to the Seoul district where the National Assembly is located. "Stop rushing yourself and start walking the road of inclusive politics."

Others echoed Lee's criticism, including Ilya Belyakov, a naturalized Korean citizen from Russia who became famous after regularly appearing in TV network JTBC's now-defunct talk show, "Non-Summit." On Twitter, Monday, he said that Yoon was encouraging racial discrimination through lies.

"Stop copying things from conservative campaigns and at least do some fact checking," Belyakov said, adding a link to a news report that supports Lee's argument about the NHIS profiting from foreign nationals' insurance payments. Belyakov also told Yoon to seek out a shaman if he was not so sure, as the candidate has been involved in a controversy about him maintaining ties with spiritual advisors and fortune tellers during his presidential bid.

Other people also criticized Yoon on Facebook. Some pointed out that his "narrow vision is unfit for broader politics," while others cited allegations that his wife Kim Keon-hee who, according to Rep. Cho Eung-cheon of the DPK, has accrued assets worth over 6 billion won, but in actuality, only paid 70,000 won per month for her NHIS coverage.

According to the NHIS, over 1.2 million residents of foreign nationality in Korea made monthly payments to the national insurance service in 2020, totaling over 1.5 trillion won ($1.24 billion). Their total amount of reimbursements during the same year amounted to less than 960 billion won, bringing the NHIS a net profit of over 580 billion won. In addition, the health insurance service for foreign nationals made continuous profits from 2018 to 2020, accumulating over 1 trillion won in total in profits from them during that period.

However, when taking into account Korean citizens, the NHIS suffered a net loss in 2020. The NHIS collected insurance payments of over 73.4 trillion won but reimbursed more than 73.7 trillion won ― producing a net loss of more than 350 billion won.

"From 2019, when foreign workers became subject to the national health insurance service on a mandatory basis, the NHIS' net profit amount increased each year," an NHIS official said. "By and large, foreigners who have enrolled in the service are contributing to the service's stable financial status."


Emailaoshima11@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
wooribank
LG
Top 10 Stories
1Public transit fares to increase in Seoul and Busan this week Public transit fares to increase in Seoul and Busan this week
2Ruling party vows to investigate China's alleged influence operations Ruling party vows to investigate China's alleged influence operations
3Genesis GV80 Coupe looks to compete with Mercedes-Benz, BMW Genesis GV80 Coupe looks to compete with Mercedes-Benz, BMW
4Korean steelmakers on alert over initiation of EU carbon border tariff Korean steelmakers on alert over initiation of EU carbon border tariff
530 out of 74 major financial companies lack female board member 30 out of 74 major financial companies lack female board member
6Korean shipbuilders seek lead over Chinese rivals in selling LNG carriers to Qatar Korean shipbuilders seek lead over Chinese rivals in selling LNG carriers to Qatar
7Hyundai, Kia to extend earnings rally on strengthening dollar, solid sales Hyundai, Kia to extend earnings rally on strengthening dollar, solid sales
8Lawmakers want chairmen of financial firms held accountable over misconduct Lawmakers want chairmen of financial firms held accountable over misconduct
9Dong-A Socio Group's honorary chairman passes away at 96 Dong-A Socio Group's honorary chairman passes away at 96
10Returning home from Chuseok holiday Returning home from Chuseok holiday
Top 5 Entertainment News
1TREASURE takes flak for excluding Dokdo from its Japan tour map TREASURE takes flak for excluding Dokdo from its Japan tour map
2Two artists' windows to light and serenity Two artists' windows to light and serenity
3Crime thriller, romance series set to roll out in October Crime thriller, romance series set to roll out in October
4[INTERVIEW] Ahn Hyo-seop wanted to share dedicated love with 'A Time Called You' INTERVIEWAhn Hyo-seop wanted to share dedicated love with 'A Time Called You'
5'Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman' tops Chuseok holiday box office 'Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman' tops Chuseok holiday box office
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group