Seoul: President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday highlighted ongoing disparities in healthcare, with a particular focus on regional and essential medical services, urging for comprehensive reforms to rectify the situation.

According to Yonhap News Agency, President Lee made these remarks during a pivotal meeting focused on medical reform, with the goal of enhancing regional and essential medical services and bolstering public health care. The gathering convened around 100 participants, including medical professionals, representatives from patient and labor groups, and government officials. The government's aim is to bridge the healthcare gap between urban and regional populations and to improve services across regional, essential, and public medical sectors.

"We still have a long way to go. So-called health care disparities continue to worsen, while significant problems persist in regional, essential and public health care," President Lee stated. He emphasized the necessity for "systematic" reform in addressing these issues, directing officials to develop healthcare policies that impose greater responsibility on the government.

This meeting takes place in the context of ongoing disparities in the availability and quality of medical services between urban and regional areas. For instance, pregnant women in remote regions often face the challenge of traveling long distances to access maternity care due to a shortage of doctors, especially in essential but less lucrative specialties like obstetrics.