Korea has many licensed nurses, but hospitals are still struggling to keep enough of them. As the population ages, the shortage is becoming a bigger concern for Korea’s healthcare system.

In 2023, Korea had about 509,000 licensed nurses. However, only about 269,000 were working in medical institutions. This means almost half were not working in hospitals or clinics. The government expects the problem to become more serious. Korea could face a shortage of about 56,000 nurses by 2035.

One major reason is difficult working conditions. Many nurses work long hours and rotating shifts. Night shifts can also cause stress and exhaustion. Heavy workloads make the job even more difficult. Because of these conditions, some nurses leave hospital work. This puts more pressure on the nurses who remain.

The government has increased nursing school enrollment to help. The enrollment quota rose from 23,883 students in 2024 to 24,883 in 2025. The same quota was kept for 2026. Still, training more nurses may not be enough. Hospitals also need to make it easier for nurses to stay.

Korea will need more nurses as healthcare demand continues to grow. Increasing nursing school enrollment is one possible solution. Better working conditions are also needed to keep trained nurses.

The real challenge is not only training nurses, but keeping them at the bedside.

Sources : 
South Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare, Nursing Workforce and Nursing School Admission Quota, 2024.
South Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare, 2026 Nursing School Admission Quota Announcement, 2025.

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