South Korea’s domestic physician workforce grew by more than 5,000 practitioners between 2021 and 2023, yet rural regions such as Gangwon and North Gyeongsang provinces experienced a net decline in doctor numbers during the same period, according to data released by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Government figures show that while the total active physician count across hospitals and public health centers rose from 107,164 to 112,443, new medical personnel increasingly gravitated toward Seoul, Gyeonggi province, and Incheon as older doctors in regional areas retired.
Physician Growth Concentrated in Seoul and Surrounding Capital Region
The Ministry of Health and Welfare reported a nationwide net increase of 5,279 active physicians between 2021 and 2023. This growth, however, was heavily concentrated in the greater capital area. Seoul recorded a 3% increase in its physician workforce, Gyeonggi province saw a 4.4% rise, and Incheon posted a 2.6% increase.
In contrast, peripheral provinces saw stagnation or outright losses. Gangwon province and North Gyeongsang province both registered 0.2% decreases in their active doctor counts over the three-year span. Meanwhile, North Jeolla province recorded a growth rate of 0%.
This capital-region concentration extends a long-term demographic shift. Data from a decade-long comparison show that the proportion of doctors practicing in Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon climbed from 53.2% in 2013 to 55.6% in 2023. Conversely, regional metropolitan cities saw their share drop from 22.9% to 21.5%, while other non-capital districts dropped from 23.8% to 22.5%.
Accelerating Aging Trends Among Regional Doctors
Beyond numerical disparities, regional medical fields face a widening generational divide. Ministry data indicate that physician aging is progressing much faster in non-capital areas, particularly in provincial jurisdictions, than in Seoul.
North Gyeongsang province posted an average physician age of 50.8 years, and South Jeolla province recorded an average of 50.2 years, placing both well past the 50-year mark. Seoul’s physician workforce maintained a significantly younger average age of 44.7 years.
The pace of aging also outstripped the capital in provincial districts. Over the 2021–2023 period, the average age of doctors rose by 1.6 years in South Jeolla, 1.4 years in North Gyeongsang, and 1.3 years in North Jeolla. In comparison, the average age of physicians in Seoul increased by just 0.6 years over the same timeframe.
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