불가항력 분만 사고, 산모 중증장애도 국가가 보상한다
The State Will Now Also Compensate Severe Disability in Mothers From Unavoidable Childbirth Accidents
Part of the August 12, 2026 daily edition
보건복지부는 8월 11일 국무회의에서 ‘의료사고 피해구제 및 의료분쟁 조정 등에 관한 법률 시행령’ 개정안이 의결됐다고 밝혔습니다. 이에 따라 불가항력 분만 의료사고 국가보상 대상은 기존의 신생아 뇌성마비, 신생아 사망, 산모 사망에 산모 중증장애까지 더해집니다. 여기서 중증장애는 장애인복지법에 따른 장애 가운데 ’장애의 정도가 심한 경우’를 뜻하며, 구체적인 보상 인정 기준은 복지부 장관이 정해 고시하도록 했습니다. 현재 유형별 보상 상한액은 뇌성마비가 중증 3억 원·경증 1억 5000만 원, 산모 사망 1억 원, 신생아 사망 3000만 원, 태아 사망 2000만 원입니다. 보상 재원은 과거에 국가가 70%, 분만의료기관이 30%를 분담했지만 2023년 12월부터는 국가가 100%를 지원하고 있습니다. 2027년 5월 27일부터는 대상이 분만을 넘어 ’보건복지부령으로 정하는 고위험 필수의료행위’에서 발생한 의료사고까지 넓어집니다.
Translation
On August 11, the Cabinet passed an amendment to the Enforcement Decree of the Act on Remedies for Injuries from Medical Malpractice and Mediation of Medical Disputes, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said. With this, the scope of state compensation for unavoidable childbirth accidents will now also cover severe disability in the mother, on top of the existing cases of neonatal cerebral palsy, neonatal death and maternal death. Severe disability here means a disability classified under the Act on Welfare of Persons with Disabilities as 'severe in degree', and the specific criteria for recognising compensation will be set and announced separately by the Minister of Health and Welfare. The current compensation ceilings are 300 million won for severe cerebral palsy and 150 million won for mild cerebral palsy, 100 million won for maternal death, 30 million won for neonatal death and 20 million won for foetal death. The state used to bear 70 percent of the funds and delivery hospitals 30 percent, but since December 2023 the state has covered 100 percent. From 27 May 2027, the scope will widen beyond childbirth to medical accidents arising in 'high-risk essential medical procedures prescribed by Ministry of Health and Welfare ordinance'.
Vocabulary
- 분만명사 (noun)childbirth, delivery (the clinical term)
- 산모명사 (noun)a mother who has just given birth or is giving birth
- 불가항력명사 (noun)force majeure; something no one could have prevented
- 보상하다동사 (verb)to compensate (for a loss)
- 상한액명사 (noun)ceiling amount, upper limit on a payment
- 재원명사 (noun)the money source funding a scheme
- 분담하다동사 (verb)to share (a cost or burden) between parties
- 고시하다동사 (verb)to publicly announce (an official standard or notice)
Grammar points
N에 따라according to N, under N
In legal and policy writing, 에 따라 names the rule or decision something follows from: 장애인복지법에 따른 장애 = 'a disability under the Act on Welfare of Persons with Disabilities'. Keep it apart from 에 따르면 ('according to N', for reported information) — 에 따라 says the thing is governed by N, while 에 따르면 only says N is where the claim came from.
Example: 규정에 따라 신청서를 냈습니다.
I submitted the application in accordance with the rules.
N까지as far as N, even N (extending a range)
Beyond 'until' in time, 까지 marks the far edge of a range that has just been widened: 산모 중증장애까지 추가된다 = the list now extends as far as severe disability in the mother. Policy news leans on it because it tells you at a glance that something was added rather than replaced — the earlier items are all still inside the range.
Example: 지원 대상이 고등학생까지 넓어졌습니다.
The support was widened to cover high-school students as well.
-도록 하다to arrange that ~, provide that ~
Where English legal drafting says 'shall', Korean often says -도록 하다: 장관이 정해 고시하도록 했다 = 'provided that the Minister shall set and announce it'. The construction leaves the doing to someone else, so it is the natural form for a rule that delegates a decision — and a signal to the reader that the detail has not been settled yet.
Example: 각 학교가 일정을 정하도록 했습니다.
It was provided that each school would set its own schedule.
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