Jemulpo-gu District Educates Some 100 New Medical Aid Recipients on Knee Health and Using the Program

Incheon’s Jemulpo-gu District (Mayor Kim Chan-jin) held an educational session for residents who became eligible for medical aid this year, covering both the prevention of knee osteoarthritis and how to use the medical aid program. The district said it held the “2026 Education on Understanding Knee Osteoarthritis and the Medical Aid Program for New Medical Aid Recipients” on Oct. 20 at Sonamu Hall in the Songnim Government Building, with about 100 people who became eligible in 2026 in attendance.

[The Korean Today] Education session for new medical aid recipients © Reporter Kim Mi-hee

Medical aid is a public assistance program under which the national and local governments cover medical expenses for low-income residents. New recipients are often unfamiliar with how the program works and its criteria. Without enough guidance, they may miss out on benefits they need or use medical institutions inefficiently.

That was the reason the district organized the session. Its goal was to help new recipients build the ability to manage their own health and to use medical aid providers properly. The session covered three topics: understanding knee osteoarthritis, medical aid coverage days by condition, and the designated medical aid provider system.

The health lecture was given by Son Il-jin, an orthopedic specialist at Incheon Medical Center. Son explained the causes, symptoms and treatments of knee osteoarthritis in plain language, and participants learned healthy walking habits that put less strain on the knees. Because knee osteoarthritis directly affects everyday walking and mobility, learning how to manage it in daily life was seen as a practical benefit for participants.

The program guidance that followed introduced the medical aid coverage days set for each condition and the designated medical aid provider system. When recipients know exactly which criteria apply to them, they can avoid unnecessary confusion and get the care they need in time.

One recipient who attended said, “It was good to learn about the causes and symptoms of knee osteoarthritis and to learn specifically about how it is treated, and I also came to understand the medical aid program better. I’m grateful.”

The session is significant because it went beyond simply granting eligibility to help recipients use the program properly and look after their own health. Offering health education and program guidance together in one place can be seen as practical welfare administration that improves access to health care for vulnerable groups.

[ Reporter Kim Mi-hee: incheonsouth@thekoreantoday.com ]

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