South Korea has enacted a sweeping patient rights law, marking a significant shift in how the country’s healthcare system treats individuals seeking medical care.
The National Assembly passed the Patient Basic Act, a comprehensive piece of legislation that formally recognizes patients as active participants in the healthcare system rather than passive recipients of treatment. The law consolidates 12 patient rights that were previously scattered across multiple statutes or absent from the legal code entirely. It also establishes four core patient responsibilities to balance those protections.
The legislation outlines clear obligations for national and regional governments. Health authorities are required to develop and implement a five-year patient policy plan, conduct regular surveys, and carry out impact assessments to evaluate progress on patient rights and safety. A dedicated Patient Policy Committee will be established to oversee and guide these efforts.
The law also creates a formal legal framework for patient advocacy organizations, defining their responsibilities and streamlining government oversight to help groups operate with greater transparency and accountability.
On the safety side, health authorities gain new power to request detailed reports from medical institutions following patient safety incidents and to provide technical, administrative, and financial support to facilities working to improve their protocols.
The Patient Basic Act replaces the existing Patient Safety Act, absorbing its provisions into the broader framework. The law takes effect one year after official promulgation, during which time regulators will develop implementing guidelines in consultation with medical professionals and patient groups.
