The National Cancer Center, a key institution in national cancer management, has invested billions of won to expand its facilities and beds. However, it is facing a severe shortage of nurses, the essential personnel needed to operate these resources.
More than half of the newly hired nurses have declined job offers, and the resignation rate among experienced nurses is also rising, leading to significant delays in patient admissions.
According to data submitted by Park Yong-gap, a member of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee, as of May this year, 217 out of 330 newly hired nurses at the National Cancer Center chose not to take up their positions, resulting in a job acceptance rate of only 34.2%.
The trend of nurse attrition at the National Cancer Center has worsened over the years. The job acceptance rate for new nurses jumped from 32.6% in 2024 to 53.4% in 2025, and now stands at 34.2% in 2026.
The issue extends beyond new hires. The resignation rate among existing nurses, who are required to manage complex tasks such as administering chemotherapy and pain management, has also accelerated. The resignation rate was 17.2% in 2023 and 16.4% in 2024, but surged to 23.2% last year. Notably, 32.6% of last year's resignations were among nurses with 3 to 10 years of experience, raising concerns about the quality of care for cancer patients.
Despite the growing staffing crisis, the National Cancer Center has aggressively pursued expansion, incurring significant debt. The remodeling of its main hospital, completed in February, cost 114.1 billion won over three years, and total investments in facilities and equipment over the past four years reached 175.5 billion won.
This massive investment has severely impacted the center's financial health. According to the public institution management information disclosure system, Alio, the National Cancer Center's debt rose from 167 billion won in 2022 to 281 billion won last year, a 68.3% increase. The debt ratio also more than doubled, climbing from 159.2% to 328.9% during the same period.
Even after spending over 1 billion won to increase its licensed beds from 560 to 599, the center continues to experience patient admission bottlenecks. Delays in patient admissions totaled 17,414 cases over the past four years, with 4,999 cases in 2022, 5,202 in 2023, 3,116 in 2024, and 4,097 last year. On average, about 12 cancer patients had to wait an additional 2 to 3 days beyond their scheduled admission dates.
In response, the National Cancer Center stated that the delays are the result of a combination of factors, including COVID-19, remodeling work, restrictions on bed operations due to medical disputes, and a shortage of nursing staff.
However, there are increasing calls for the center to improve its operations, which have been likened to pouring water into a bottomless pit, by addressing the issue of nurse attrition rather than merely repeating large-scale hiring. The center recently announced plans to hire 320 new nursing positions for 2027.
Park Yong-gap emphasized, "Despite significant investments in facilities and equipment, and an expansion of beds, patient admission delays persist, and the rates of job refusals and resignations among nursing staff remain concerning. The Ministry of Health and Welfare must comprehensively examine staffing and working conditions to ensure the functionality of the national cancer management center that treats severe cancer patients."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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