Ministry of Health and Welfare

What Ministry of Health and Welfare does

The Ministry of Health and Welfare (보건복지부, MOHW) is the central government ministry of South Korea responsible for national health policy, social welfare, the National Health Insurance system, and the National Pension Service. Founded in 1948 and headquartered in the Government Sejong Complex in Sejong Special Self-Governing Province since 2014, MOHW serves the entire Korean population through 14 wholly-owned affiliated public institutions including the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA), Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), National Pension Service (NPS), National Cancer Center, and National Medical Center. It also operates regional support infrastructure such as the Osong Bio Science Complex Support Center in Cheongju and a network of local welfare offices.

MOHW's core product portfolio spans certification systems, digital platforms, and direct welfare services. Technology assets include the EMR Certification System with HL7 CDA standards and the K-CDS clinical decision support module, the Welfare Call Center 129 (24-hour consultation with chatbot counseling), the Public Data Portal, hospice and palliative care programs, activity support services for the disabled, the Children's Health Website, and the Medical Innovation Data Room. Underlying technology investments include the K-AI Drug Development Program (37.1 billion won), federated learning platforms for clinical trials, AI-powered structure-based drug discovery, telemedicine systems for foreign patients, and ambulance GPS tracking infrastructure. Partnerships with LG CNS (federated AI), JW Pharmaceutical (AI drug R&D, 2.2 billion won over 3 years), and Roche (710 billion won clinical R&D MOU) anchor its innovation strategy.

MOHW does not operate on a commercial revenue model — it is funded entirely through national government budget allocations and social insurance contributions. NHIS currently holds a reserve fund of 30.2 trillion won projected to be depleted by 2033, signaling long-term fiscal pressure on the system. The Ministry monetizes indirectly through economic activity it catalyses: 2.01 million foreign medical tourists in 2025, clinical trial ecosystems with 30-40% cost advantage versus US/Japan, and biotech R&D clusters at Osong. Recent strategic priorities include the Immediate Market Entry Medical Technology System (compressing medtech approval from 490 to 80 days across 199 device categories), medical school quota expansion of 3,342 seats over 2027-2031, and telemedicine legalization for foreign patients effective 2027.

Name

Ministry of Health and Welfare

Legal name

Ministry of Health and Welfare (보건복지부)

Website

https://mohw.go.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

The Ministry of Health and Welfare (보건복지부) is South Korea's central government ministry coordinating national health policy, the National Health Insurance System, National Pension Service, and welfare programs for all Korean citizens through affiliated public institutions and digital platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Health Administration

NAICS

Administration of Public Health Programs (923120), Administration of Public Health Programs (92312), Health and Welfare Funds (525120), Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers (524114), Health and Welfare Funds (52512), Social Assistance (624)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Hospital & Medical Service Plans (6324), Services-Social Services (8300), Accident & Health Insurance (6321)

akta.pro primary industry

Health Policy & Legislation Authorities (HLAJACAA)

Keywords

• Public health policy
• Social welfare services
• National health insurance
• Healthcare workforce regulation
• Pharmaceutical regulation

Headquarters

HQ city

Sejung

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Budget Allocation: Ministry operates as a government ministry funded through national tax revenue and government budget allocations. Implements policies and manages social insurance programs rather than generating commercial revenue.
2. National Health Insurance Contributions: Manages National Health Insurance Service with contributions from citizens and employers, currently holding reserve fund of 30.2 trillion won.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Ministry of Health and Welfare coordinates and oversees national health and welfare policies in South Korea. It administers the National Health Insurance system, the National Pension scheme, healthcare workforce policy, pharmaceutical affairs regulation, and a wide range of social welfare programs including child welfare, elderly and disability care, and disease prevention. It also develops digital health infrastructure such as the EMR Certification System and AI-powered drug development platforms.

Product overview

Ministry of Health and Welfare operates a comprehensive digital service portfolio comprising certification systems, information platforms, and direct service portals. The core offerings include the EMR (Electronic Medical Records) Certification System with its Standard Framework providing K-CDS clinical decision support, the Medical Innovation Data Room for policy resources, and various welfare service platforms including the 129 Welfare Call Center, Public Data Portal, and Activity Support Services for the disabled. Subsidiary digital services include the Children's Health Website, Physician Memorial Hall, and the Osong Bio Science Complex Support Center. The ministry also manages policy showcases like the '10 Policies That Changed Lives' and direct care services such as Hospice/Palliative Care and Blood Management programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EMR Certification System (전자의무기록시스템 인증) A government certification program for Electronic Medical Record systems in South Korea, providing standards for terminology, forms, and clinical decision support functions that EMR vendors must meet for certification.
• Medical Innovation Data Room (의료혁신 자료실)
• Osong Bio Science Complex Support Center (오송생명과학단지지원센터)
• Activity Support Service for Disabled (장애인활동지원)
• Hospice and Palliative Care Services (호스피스·완화의료 서비스)
• Blood Management (혈액관리)
• Public Data Portal (보건복지 공공데이터)
• Welfare Call Center 129 (보건복지상담센터 129)
• Immediate Market Entry Medical Technology System A regulatory system allowing innovative medical devices with internationally recognized clinical evaluation to enter clinical practice without separate nHTA assessment, covering 199 device categories.
• 10 Policies That Changed Lives (국민 삶을 바꾼 정책 10)

Quantifiable outcome

• Foreign patient visits exceeded 2 million for first time in 2025
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered regional, core, major and minor.

• Gangjin Medical CenterregionalImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 18 June 2026Selected as executing agency for Ministry's 'Disability-Friendly Obstetrics and Gynecology Operation Support Project' with 490 million won project cost for facility and equipment enhancements to establish 24-hour high-risk delivery response infrastructure.
• JW PharmaceuticalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2026JW Pharmaceutical selected as leading R&D institution for Ministry's 'Structure-Based AI Drug Development Support' project to enhance small molecule drug development using generative AI technology. Company will conduct research with total government support of 2.2 billion won over three years in collaboration with subsidiary C&C Drug Research Institute. Plans to integrate AI drug development platform J-Wave with robot-based synthesis automation system.
• Lifeline KoreamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Ministry partnering with NGO Lifeline Korea to divert overnight suicide prevention hotline calls, expanding capacity from 103 to 200 counselors by October in response to 46% surge in call volume.
• Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (한국국제보건의료재단)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 May 2026Co-hosted memorial ceremony for former WHO Director-General Lee Jong-wook's 20th death anniversary at WHO headquarters in Geneva, honoring his legacy including Framework Convention on Tobacco Control adoption.
• Ministry of Food and Drug SafetymajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 24 April 2026Joint implementation of 'Immediate Market Entry Medical Technology System' effective January 26, 2026, allowing innovative medical devices with internationally recognized clinical evaluation to enter clinical practice without separate New Health Technology Assessment.
• Medical AssociationsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2026Ministry coordinating with medical associations to monitor medical product supply and demand, identify shortage risks preemptively, and establish cooperation for daily inspection system of medical supplies amid Middle East war disruptions.
• RochecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 March 2026Global pharmaceutical company Roche signed MOU with Ministry to invest 710 billion won ($478 million) over five years in clinical research and development. This marks the first large-scale foreign pharmaceutical investment attracted by the Ministry. Roche will conduct global clinical trials in Korea for common and intractable diseases, train R&D professionals, and support promising Korean biohealth companies through open innovation initiatives. Korea's clinical trial competitiveness includes 30-40% cost advantage compared to US and Japan.
• LG CNSmajorTechnology or Integration · 21 January 2026LG CNS joined Ministry's K-AI drug development program as service provider, contributing to government-backed initiative worth approximately 37.1 billion won over four years and three months. Company developing AI-based platform for clinical trial design and operations using federated learning technology to enable joint model training while protecting sensitive medical data.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mohwpr
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/mohwpr
• Facebookfacebook.com/mohwpr
• Instagraminstargram.com/mohw_kr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments3 records

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Frequently asked questions about Ministry of Health and Welfare