South Korea plans launch of unified digital health platform, expanding medical data infrastructure

Yeom Min-seop, Director of the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), has revealed that the institute is planning to launch a new digital medical information exchange platform in February, aiming to integrate the country’s existing healthcare data systems and streamline the management and transfer of patient information. The initiative forms part of South Korea’s broader strategy to become a global leader in digital health.

KHIDI, the government agency responsible for developing South Korea’s health industry, is building several public platforms necessary for realizing digital health, including standardising healthcare data and improving interoperability between medical institutions. The new platform will combine the Health Information Exchange System (HIDI) with the Health Information Highway, providing a unified interface for hospitals, clinics, and individuals.

Currently, more than 1,300 medical institutions, including 47 tertiary hospitals, are participating in HIDI, which connects 10,200 facilities nationwide and facilitates the exchange of 1.4 million medical records and imaging cases annually. Patients can access their information via the “My Health Record” app, which allows users to view medical records, medications, health checkups, vaccination history, and other personal health data. Recent updates to the app include expanded access for children under 19, drug allergy information, medication reminders, and vaccination notifications.

The platform will also incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) tools aimed at supporting preventative healthcare, with the goal of making personalised medicine more accessible. The new system is designed to manage individual medical records efficiently, enable secure data transfer between institutions, and provide a foundation for advanced health analytics.

South Korea’s efforts mirror similar initiatives in other countries. The United Kingdom’s NHS has created the NHS SPINE network and the NHS App, enabling citizens to manage their health records and access genomic and clinical data for research. Finland’s Kanta platform provides centralised storage and secondary use of medical data, while the United States leverages private digital health ecosystems such as Epic’s My Chart service.

Beyond patient care, KHIDI’s platform supports research and development. South Korea is developing a National Integrated Bio Big Data Platform, which will collect and analyse clinical, genomic, and lifelog data from one million individuals by 2029. The project aims to enable disease prediction models tailored to Korean characteristics, foster precision medicine, and support the development of new drugs. Data will be gradually opened for research use starting in the second half of 2026.

To ensure effective use of the platform, South Korea is also seeking to establish a clear legal and policy framework governing the safe transfer and use of medical data. Advocates have called for a “Digital Healthcare Act” to balance the promotion of innovation with strong data protection.

KHIDI’s initiative reflects a growing recognition of healthcare data as a strategic national asset. By integrating digital health infrastructure, expanding AI capabilities, and linking clinical and public data, South Korea aims to create a robust foundation for personalised, patient-centred care and to position itself at the forefront of the global digital health sector