Integrated Community Care in Korea: Implementation and Challenges

Integrated community care aims to ensure that all individuals requiring care-particularly older adults and people with disabilities-can remain in their communities through coordinated provision of health, social, and housing services.In Korea, the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) announced the Basic Plan for Community Care in November 2018 and launched a 4-year pilot program in 16 local governments beginning in April 2019. 1)Even following political transitions in 2022 and 2025, integrated community care has remained a high-priority national agenda item.In July 2023, MOHW introduced the "Medical-Care Integrated Support Pilot Program for Older Adults," selecting 12 local governments through open competition. 2)With the enactment of the Act on the Integrated Support for Community Care, Including Health, and Care Services (hereafter, the "Integrated Care Support Act") in March 2024, 3) nationwide implementation across all municipalities is scheduled.As of August 2025, 57% of Korea's 229 municipalities are participating in pilot projects.