What happened?

The number of foreign households in Korea's local health insurance scheme that had fallen six months or more behind on premiums jumped sharply, according to data the National Health Insurance Service provided to Democratic Party lawmaker Park Ji-won for a parliamentary audit. The figures were reported by Yonhap News on October 16.

How big is the increase?

| Measure | 2023 | Latest figure | |---|---|---| | Households 6+ months in arrears | 23,018 | 34,349 (last year) | | Unpaid premium amount | 26.0 billion won | 37.5 billion won |

The household count rose 49.2%, and the unpaid amount rose 44.2%. Write-offs of foreigners' unpaid premiums also climbed, from 1.4 billion won in 2022 to 19.9 billion won in 2024 before falling to 18 billion won in 2025.

Why are arrears rising?

The National Health Insurance Service said the main drivers were foreign residents leaving Korea for long periods or moving abroad permanently. As of 2025, 799,281 foreigners were enrolled in local health insurance, so the pool of people who could fall behind is large.

What is being proposed?

Park Ji-won argued that premium collection needs tighter management as foreign enrollment grows. She said recovery is difficult once someone has left the country, and that agencies should link information to pursue unpaid premiums more effectively.

For international fans

This story is mainly about policy and insurance administration rather than entertainment. For foreign residents in Korea, the practical lesson is that health insurance premiums are still owed after a long absence, so anyone planning to leave the country for an extended period should check their account status with the National Health Insurance Service.