South Korea reports 42% rise in unpaid health insurance premiums among foreign residents

Unpaid health insurance premiums owed by foreign nationals and overseas Koreans in South Korea have risen by 42% over five years, reaching ₩37.5 billion (US$27.9 million), a report by the country’s National Assembly Budget Office has revealed.

Outstanding contributions increased from ₩26.4 billion in 2021, while the number of households with overdue payments rose by 58.1%, from 21,728 to 34,349.

Foreign nationals accounted for 33,725 of these households, owing ₩34.4 billion. A further 134,505 cases involving ₩47.7 billion in unpaid premiums were written off as uncollectible over the five years.

Concerns over insurance eligibility

The findings have prompted calls for stronger checks on residency status and healthcare eligibility.

Under South Korean regulations, health insurance benefits are suspended when insured individuals leave the country. However, reports have raised concerns that some departing foreign residents leave their registration cards and insurance credentials with acquaintances, potentially enabling unauthorised access to medical treatment.

The National Assembly Budget Office recommended strengthening premium collection before individuals leave South Korea and introducing more effective monitoring of residency changes.

Although the findings relate to the country’s public health insurance system, they highlight wider challenges surrounding eligibility verification, cross-border mobility, and the administration of healthcare benefits for foreign residents.

Elsewhere, Bahrain has introduced new health insurance requirements for family residency, adding another compliance consideration for expatriates and internationally mobile families.