World Day of the Sick (February 11th) is a day to raise social awareness of the sick and to reflect on the mission of healthcare professionals and volunteers who support them in their work.
Today, there are patients we should pay attention to: undocumented immigrants, those with long-term arrears in health insurance premiums due to financial hardship, and neighbors in healthcare blind spots who are excluded from support. Through the activities of Joseph's Clinic of the Joseph Sharing Foundation, which diagnoses their desperate reality and provides 'social prescriptions' encompassing medical, emotional, welfare, and legal support in the heart of slum areas, we reflect on the true meaning of "being there" for the sick.
The World Health Organization (WHO) constitution stipulates that all human beings have the right to the highest attainable standard of health, regardless of economic or social conditions, without discrimination. However, in Korean society today, some are excluded even from this basic right.
According to Ministry of Justice statistics, there are approximately 500,000 undocumented immigrants residing in Korea. These individuals are outside the public healthcare system and receive virtually no support even in the event of accidents or serious illnesses. The Emergency Welfare Support Act also only applies to South Korean citizens and registered immigrants.
Even within the health insurance system, blind spots exist. According to data from the National Health Insurance Service in 2025, over 66,000 households are experiencing limited access to benefits due to their inability to pay insurance premiums. While the system aims to cover all citizens, in reality, economic poverty leads to exclusion from medical welfare. Furthermore, since insurance is based on registered residential addresses, those without a fixed residence are also pushed outside the welfare safety net.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare's "Third Comprehensive Plan for Basic Livelihood Security (2024-2026)" estimates that approximately 50,000 people are in the blind spot of medical assistance. These are individuals who are excluded from support because, legally, they have "responsible family members" even though they live disconnected from their families. They cannot afford non-covered medical expenses and therefore do not receive proper treatment. Many of these individuals live in slum areas, resulting in significant healthcare gaps in these communities. According to investigations by the National Human Rights Commission and the Seoul Metropolitan Government, two out of ten residents in slum areas cannot access hospitals even when they want to, and approximately 40% of respondents reported having financial difficulties.
Since its opening in 1987, Joseph Clinic has provided free charitable medical care in various areas of Seoul. The people served by Joseph Clinic are not simply sick. Many have delayed treatment, leading to worsened conditions, and many also suffer from mental illness, isolation, and trauma. Sometimes people have approached them without considering their mental trauma, causing secondary harm.
The suffering they experience goes beyond simple medical problems. It's a complex issue involving exclusion from social safety nets, the collapse of their livelihoods, and psychological and emotional isolation. Therefore, beyond simple treatment, integrated care, companionship for fundamental recovery, and comprehensive support are desperately needed.
Responding to this need, Joseph Clinic has consistently carried out a "home visit medical care" program for patients with mobility difficulties or those suffering from serious illnesses or disabilities. After relocating the clinic near Seoul Station in July 2025, they established a separate organization, the "Joseph Neighborhood Love Center," to further expand home-visit medical care. The center's home-visit medical team serves patients in slum areas and the tent village near Seoul Station. They provide diagnosis, prescriptions, medication guidance, and, if necessary, transfer to a hospital.
The core of the program is to provide comprehensive "social prescriptions" that include medical, emotional, welfare, and legal support. The foundation's secretary-general, said, "Following the church's spirit that no one should be discriminated against in terms of the preciousness of life, and in accordance with the wishes of the founder, we plan to provide more specialized care." He added, "We are waiting for the participation of volunteers from various fields, including mental health professionals, psychological counselors, alcohol addiction specialists, and trauma specialists."
The Joseph Neighborly Love Center plans to officially launch in February, moving into a building in a slum area to provide hands-on support to patients in medically deprived areas.
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