The Nexon Foundation is stepping up to support Korea’s first at-home rehabilitation initiative for children with disabilities who have fallen into the healthcare blind spot.

Nexon Foundation (Chairman Jungwook Kim) announced it will provide an initial fund of 300 million won to launch and operate the “Visiting Rehabilitation Program” at the Daejeon–Sejong–Chungnam·Nexon-sponsored Public Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital (Director Yang Shin-seung).

The Visiting Rehabilitation Program is Korea’s first public-sector model in which medical staff travel directly to a child’s home or school to deliver treatment to children with severe disabilities who cannot visit the hospital due to mobility challenges or caregiver burnout stemming from psychological and physical exhaustion. Unlike adult home-visit rehab, pediatric services lack an established national health insurance reimbursement code, resulting in low financial viability—meaning many children with severe disabilities have long been deprived of even basic access to therapy.

Since opening in May 2023, the Daejeon–Sejong–Chungnam·Nexon-sponsored Public Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital has served approximately 73,000 patient visits, and as of last year recorded a 99% satisfaction rate—becoming a reliable pillar for children with disabilities and their families in the region. Building on that, the hospital turned its attention to the persistent blind spots: children with severe disabilities who still cannot use hospital services due to environmental and logistical constraints.

To fulfill its role as a public medical institution for the region, the hospital piloted Korea’s first visiting rehabilitation initiative last year. Across two rounds of treatments for applicants, the pilot confirmed positive outcomes, including improvements in children’s physical function and interaction, emotional recovery for caregivers, and the establishment of a more continuous treatment infrastructure.

Based on the proven clinical impact and strong on-the-ground demand observed during the pilot, the Nexon Foundation decided to fund the program’s sustained expansion. Using the initial donation as seed funding, the Visiting Rehabilitation Program plans to provide, from January through December 2026, a total of 20 in-home rehabilitation visits per child for around 22 children and adolescents with severe disabilities in the hospital’s service area who have difficulty visiting the facility.

With this support, the Daejeon–Sejong–Chungnam·Nexon-sponsored Public Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital will strengthen dedicated staffing and equipment, increase the number of therapy sessions, and scale up operations to ensure continuity and effectiveness of care. A specialized in-home rehab team will deliver integrated services—such as joint mobility exercises, mobility training, and caregiver education—for children with severe disabilities, while also running family-focused psychosocial support programs and leisure and cultural activities.

Nexon Foundation Chairman Jungwook Kim stated, “This project is especially meaningful as a case where a public hospital fulfills its social responsibility and the private sector backs it up,” adding, “Nexon Foundation will continue working to create an environment where children can receive timely treatment.”

Hospital Director Yang Shin-seung commented, “Visiting rehabilitation is an essential medical service for both children and their families, and we hope this project becomes the catalyst for a formalized support system for children with severe disabilities,” continuing, “We will do our utmost to operate the program so that more children can receive the necessary treatment at the right time without constraints.”

Separately, the Nexon Foundation has supported the opening of the Purme Foundation Nexon Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital, the Daejeon–Sejong–Chungnam·Nexon-sponsored Public Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital, and the Seoul National University Hospital Nexon Children’s Integrated Care Center, and is taking the lead in expanding pediatric rehabilitation infrastructure nationwide—backing the construction of specialized children’s rehabilitation hospitals in the Yeongnam and Honam regions as well.

This article was translated from the original that appeared on INVEN.