earticle

영어

This study was conducted to examine directions of medical security in the process of Korean unification. It is assumed that Korea will be unified peacefully, achieving successful economic reform of North Korea. North Korea has pursued 'universalization of medical security' through a national monopoly of means of production. Medical security of North Korea is characterized as the free medical treatment system, the system of district assigned to an individual doctor, and valuing preventive medicine, and cooperative medical service between Oriental medical service and Western medical service. On the other hand, in South Korea the compulsory health insurance program was implemented for the entire population. The Medical Assistance Law was also enacted to provide medical service to those without the means to pay. It is epoch-marking that North Korea introduced capitalist principles of medical insurance in the Sinuiju Special Administration District. North and South Korean medical security should be integrated in the direction in which the two systems are convergent on the better criteria which reflect merits of both systems. Conservative unionism is set up in this study as an ideological model of unified Korean medical security. It is suggested in this study that basic strategies for integration of South and North Korean medical security include supporting North Korean reform and open-door policy, promoting of medical exchange and cooperation, intensifying state's responsibility for medical care, and harmonizing values of North and South Korean medical security.