The Politics between State Power and Professional Power in Korean Health Care System

Abstract

Since the late 1970s, the Korean health care system has changed significantly.

The state increased its intervention into the health care system to expand health

services to people and to improve the efficiency of medical practice. But physicians tried to protect their privileges and private ownership of medical institutions, and to buffer "hazardous" state intervention. Between the state and physicians, a group of physicians, called "medical reformers" in this paper, tried to compromise both sides. While such an attempt was not fully successful, their goal to rationalize the structure of the health care system significantly impacted the current debate on the Health Care Delivery System and the politics between the state and the medical profession.