Emerging candidate for Dir. of the Pharmaceutical Benefits

Secretary Jung-min Yu, who passed the 51st civil service exam in Korea, emerging as candidate for the position

After promotion, the incumbent Director Chang-Hyun Oh is expected to return to the MFDS

Secretary Jung-min Yu (Left), Director Chang-Hyun Oh (Right).

Chang-Hyun Oh (55/College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University), the incumbent director of the Pharmaceutical Benefits at the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), is expected to be succeeded by Jung-min Yu (passed the 51st civil service exam/Ewha Womans University), who is currently serving as Secretary in the Office of the Senior Secretary to the President for Social Policy while being transferred to the Presidential Secretariat.

 

Oh is expected to rejoin the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) after his promotion.

 

According to the sources in the pharmaceutical industry on the 17th, MOHW will make personnel changes for the position of Director of Pharmaceutical Benefits soon.

 

The Division of Pharmaceutical Benefits is responsible for various aspects of domestic pharmaceutical reimbursements.

 

Specifically, its responsibilities include conducting cost-effectiveness evaluations and setting the upper limit of healthcare benefits (insurance drug pricing) for pharmaceuticals seeking reimbursements, reassessing the drug prices of previously listed insured drugs, developing comprehensive plans for post-insurance management of insured drugs, and conducting research and investigations related to the insurance reimbursement system for pharmaceuticals.

 

If Yu assumes the position of the Director of the Pharmaceutical Benefits, she will also oversee the practical implementation of the revised drug pricing system to ensure fair-value compensation for innovative new drugs, which was announced in December of last year, in addition to Yu’s responsibilities related to the division.

 

Secretary Yu initially started her career in the MFDS, then moved to the Office for Governmental Policy Coordination, and later joined the MOHW.

 

Subsequently, Yu was transferred from working as the Director of healthcare security management in May 2022 to take the position as Secretary in the Office of the Senior Secretary to the President for Social Policy and continued to work in that position.

 

Yu has an extensive background in roles within the MOHW, including working in the Division of National Pension Policy, Committee on Low Birthrate, and the Division of Healthcare Policy.

 

After serving as the Head of the Healthcare Delivery System Task Force, Yu was promoted to the position of Director of healthcare security management.

 

In March 2021, while serving as Secretary at the MOHW, Yu was recognized from the Prime Minister for her proactive administration, which included implementing temporary telephone counseling and prescriptions to prevent the spread of Covid-19 outbreak in Korea.

 

Director Oh is expected to rejoin the MFDS after his promotion.

 

Oh, who graduated from Chung-Ang University, is a government official responsible for pharmaceutical matters.

 

He previously transferred to the MOHW from the MFDS through a personnel exchange program.