Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province Pharmacists Association has issued a fierce condemnation of the South Korean government’s official plan to expand contactless medical service drug delivery to all patients, characterizing the policy as a reckless escalation that sacrifices public safety and established social consensus for the sake of commercial platform profits.
A Direct Challenge to Healthcare Regulations and Public Safety
In a formal statement released on February 23, the Jeonbuk branch, led by President Jeon Yong-geun, argued that the policy shift directly challenges the legislative intent behind current healthcare regulations.
The association stressed that limiting non-face-to-face drug delivery to residents in remote areas and vulnerable populations acts as a vital safety barrier against medication misuse, abuse, and transit-related safety incidents. Under existing frameworks, lawmakers deliberately designed these restrictions to protect patients. Altering this scope before laws fully take effect, the branch contends, fundamentally undermines public trust.
Accusations of Corporate Favoritism and Platform Capital
Directing their frustration at private telehealth and delivery platforms, the Jeonbuk pharmacists accused government regulators of granting unfair regulatory privileges to corporate entities.
The association pointed out that various platforms have previously driven reckless prescriptions and deliveries for non-covered drugs targeting hair loss, weight management, and acne treatment.
Comparing the government’s push for expanded delivery to corporate disruptions in other domestic commercial sectors, the branch described the initiative as handing public healthcare policy directly over to platform capital. Authorities were further criticized for advancing delivery expansion without first establishing a public electronic prescription transmission system, telemedicine support infrastructure, or appropriate subordinate statutes.
Boycott of Cross-Ministerial Consultative Bodies
Amid these escalating tensions, the Jeonbuk Pharmacists Association confirmed its absolute refusal to join the cross-ministerial public-private consultative body established by the government. The branch made it clear it will not serve as a bystander in discussions where outcomes appear predetermined to favor medication delivery expansion.
Rejecting terminology used by authorities regarding neighborhood pharmacies and dedicated facilities, the association demanded an immediate halt to attempts by the Office for Government Policy Coordination and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups to dismantle prior social agreements.
A Four-Point Ultimatum and Vow to Resist
The branch laid out a rigid 4-point ultimatum demanding the termination of delivery expansion efforts, the blocking of commercial platform intervention in healthcare, the prior establishment of public safety systems, and the cancellation of routine consultative frameworks.
Concluding with a sharp warning, the Jeonbuk branch stated that if authorities continue to prioritize platform capital over public health, pharmacists will mobilize all available means to resist the changes. They vowed to hold the Office for Government Policy Coordination and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups fully accountable for any resulting pharmaceutical misuse and structural damage to the healthcare system.
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