Social Policy and Health Insurance in South Korea and Taiwan A Comparative Historical Approach

Abstract: This dissertation deals with a comparison of social policy in South Korea and Taiwan. By tracing the historical origins of the modern social security institutions, as well as the historical process of modernization of medical care in Korea and Taiwan, this study can identify the extension of entitlement to health insurance as one of the most contentious social policy issues in the two countries. Using a historical institutional approach, this study shows that, in both Korea and Taiwan, the direct presidential elections as well as the diffusion of international norms have been two important factors affecting the historical process of the extension of entitlement to health insurance. The significance of the direct presidential election factor should be understood in the light of the distinctive political culture in Korea and Taiwan, where the political decision-making has been highly concentrated around the major political leaders and their personalities have assumed a prominent role in sociopolitical development. The significance of international norms should be understood with regard to the particular status of the two states, Korea and Taiwan. Both Korea and Taiwan belong to the states that have sought to build up their respective nations to be comparable to the industrially advanced countries in West during the post World War II era. In more recent years, this has been attempted through the development of social policy programs, even if many areas still need improvement.