From socially weak to potential consumer: changing discourses on elder status in South Korea

This article explores social and political dimensions associated with providing care for elders in South Korea. We look at changes in welfare policy since the 1980s and discuss the emergence ofa long-term care insurance program in Korea similar to the program promulgated in Japan in 2000. We argue that while the status of South Korean elderly is undergoing change as new policies provide opportunities for elders to move from positions of dependency to increased independence as consumers of health care services, there are some reasons for concern. The capacity of elders to function as consumers remains tied to the fact family members or elders themselves must pay supplements to their health insurance premiums as well as significant co-payments for services rendered and government policies retain a strong bias toward requiring in-home, family-centered care of frail and bedfast elders.