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A prominent children's hospital in Seoul has announced the suspension of its weekend operations due to a shortage of pediatricians, reflecting the country's population crisis. Sowha Hospital, one of the 38 hospitals designated by the health ministry to provide round-the-clock medical services to children, will temporarily halt its weekend and holiday operations, except for Saturday mornings, citing a lack of medical staff and the need for facility maintenance. The hospital, established in 1945, has not specified when operations will resume. Concerns have been raised by critics who fear that more hospitals may struggle to offer services seven days a week if the shortage of pediatricians persists.
South Korea is experiencing a decline in the number of pediatricians as medical students opt for more lucrative fields due to the population crisis. Data from the Korean Pediatric Society reveals that only 53 students applied for the pediatric program in 2023, accounting for a mere 25% of available seats. The suspension of operations underscores the challenges faced by the pediatric division, including declining birth rates, inadequate payments, and the burden of liability for medical accidents. In March this year, only 21,138 babies were born, an 8.1% drop from the previous year and the lowest number for any March since 1981. South Korea has witnessed 88 consecutive months of declining birth rates.