Page 251 - 2018 Defense White Paper

also intends to maintain the military hospitals that directly support forward corps. However,

the MND plans to merge 16 military hospitals in rear areas into 11 hospitals and reduce
the hospitals that provide surgery to 4 hospitals per region through phased integration. The
surgeons and equipment from the hospitals that lose surgery function under the reorganization

will go to the “surgery-intensive hospitals.” Such transfer is aimed at improving and advancing
the surgery capabilities of military personnel while turning other military hospitals into facilities
that specialize in the stabilization, recuperation, and rehabilitation of patients or “outpatient

examination centers” tasked with outpatient services for local residents and physical checkups
for servicemembers.
In particular, the MND will establish the Armed Forces Trauma Center at the Armed Forces

Capital Hospital by 2020 to provide medical services for injuries unique to, or frequently
occurring in, the military such as trauma, gunshot wounds, and explosion wounds.

[ Chart 6-7 ] Function Adjustment and Specialization of Military Hospitals
Category Current After Reform Note

Total number 16 11
Armed Forces Set up the Armed Forces
1 1
Capital Hospital Trauma Center by 2020
Forward area 5 (Goyang, Yangju, Pocheon,
7
Military hospitals Chuncheon, and Hongcheon)
hospitals
Rear area
4 1 (Daejeon)
hospitals Surgery-intensive
hospitals (4): Chapter 6
4 (Seoul, Aerospace Medical Capital, Daejeon, Yangju,
Special purpose
4 Center, Marine Medical Center, and Chuncheon
hospitals
and Pohang)
Outpatient examination Guri, Busan, Gangneung,
- 5
centers Hampyeong, and Daegu

| Expanding and Enhancing the Expertise of the Military Medical Workforce | To address
the issue of medics without the required qualif ications, the MND is expanding the number of

professional medical support personnel and recruiting enlisted servicemembers with medical-
related licenses and qualifications under the “Medical Specialist” program. In addition, to secure
experienced medical doctors at military medical facilities, the MND will assign medical off icers

Section 2 Improving the Welfare and Working Environment for Servicemembers 249