Articles

Workforce Imbalance of Speech-Language Pathologists in Korea: An Analysis based on Population Projections and International Comparisons

AUTHOR
Eun Kyoung Lee, Ji-Wan Ha, Jaeock Kim, Seong Hee Choi, Jin-Ae Bae, Kyungjae Lee, Hyun Jin Chang, Seung Jin Lee
INFORMATION
2026, Vol. 11, Issue 1 / pp. 15-25
e-ISSN
2508-5948
p-ISSN

ABSTRACT

Purpose This study examined the current supply-demand imbalance among speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in Korea using child population projections and international comparisons, and proposed long-term policy directions. Methods Resident registration data from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (2024) and long-term population projections from the Korean Statistical Information Service (KOSIS; 2022-2052) were analyzed. Published prevalence estimates for childhood communication disorders (7-15%) were applied to project the size of the eligible service population. The licensed SLP workforce (n = 19,299) was benchmarked against caseload standards recommended by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and against SLP-to-child ratios in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Results The under-18 population stood at approximately 7.07 million in 2024, yielding an estimated 490,000-1.06 million children with communication disorders. Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) data identified 511,010 clinically diagnosed cases. Applying ASHA caseload standards (35-50 clients), the required SLP workforce was estimated at 10,220-14,600, figures already exceeded by the current supply. Korea's SLP-tochild ratio (1:366) is comparable to that of the United States (1:343) but substantially more favorable than those of the United Kingdom (1:554) and Canada (1:1,000). If the current annual graduation rate (approximately 965 per year) is maintained, the licensed workforce will reach roughly 44,400 by 2052, approximately 2.3-7.1 times the projected need. Conclusions The findings suggest that the perceived workforce shortage in Korea may reflect not an absolute deficit in SLP numbers, but rather a structural oversupply—at least within the child-focused service domain examined here—combined with a severe lack of publicly funded employment positions. Policy priorities should shift from quantitative expansion toward strengthening public-sector placement mechanisms, reforming reimbursement structures, optimizing regional distribution, and expanding SLP services for adult and geriatric populations.

Keyword
speech-language pathologist workforce imbalance population projection communication disorder employment infrastructure public placement

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