PURPOSE
This study was done to estimate supply and demand for nursing workforce to provide community-based primary healthcare in the North Korean region to cost-efficiently narrow the health gap between the two Koreas in case of a Korean reunification.
METHODS
To understand the nursing education system and current state of nursing workforce in North Korea, the authors interviewed six North Korean defectors who had worked as nurses in North Korea. Based on the interview results and literature review, the supply and demand for the primary healthcare nursing workforce that would be needed after Korean reunification were estimated RESULTS: Currently, a total of 2,100 to 2,700 North Korean nurses were estimated to have graduated from nursing schools with a 2 year curriculum or completed 6-month military nurse training courses every year. The projected number of nurses in demand to provide primary health care ranged from 84,160 to 105,200 and the shortage would be between 31,586 and 52,626.
CONCLUSION
An active utilization of the North Korean nursing workforce to improve the health of North Koreans after reunification will be the best way to reduce the reunification cost which will be inflicted mainly on South Korea.

Citations

• A North Korean Defector’s Experience With Becoming A Nurse in South Korea
  Sang Hui Chu, Jinsook Kim
  Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing.2024; 38(2): 220.     CrossRef
• Development of international nursing standard–based curriculum for North Korean nurses
  Younhee Kang, Insook Yang, Eliza Lee, Chohee Bang
  International Nursing Review.2022; 69(4): 503.     CrossRef
• The Utilization of Dental Hygienists in Oral Healthcare Exchanges between the South and North Korea
  Eunsuk Ahn, Ji-Hyoung Han, Kyung-Hee Kang, Young-Eun Jang, Ki-Ha Jeon, Jeong-Ran Park
  Journal of Dental Hygiene Science.2021; 21(1): 63.     CrossRef