Dandelion Medical Welfare Social Cooperative

Dandelion Medical Welfare Social Cooperative (Korean: 민들레의료복지사회적협동조합) is a social cooperative and social enterprise based in Daejeon, South Korea, founded in 2002. It describes itself as an organization of local residents and medical and welfare workers who cooperate to create healthy living communities in every neighborhood through medical care, caregiving, and preventive services. Its motto is to care for oneself, care for one another, and care for the community. The cooperative operates a network of institutions in Daejeon, including Dandelion Clinic (민들레의원), Dandelion Korean Medicine Clinic (민들레한의원), Dandelion Dental Clinic (민들레치과), Dandelion Health Screening Center (민들레건강검진센터), Dandelion Home Visit Medical Center (민들레 방문의료센터), Dandelion Nursing Home with a primary-care doctor (주치의가 있는 민들레요양원), Dandelion Day Care Center (민들레 주간보호센터), and Dandelion Home Welfare Center (민들레 재가복지센터). The nursing home began admissions in December 2025 and offers integrated care centered on a primary-care physician, with a care physician who is an internal medicine specialist, linked care through the clinic, Korean medicine clinic, and dental clinic, and 24-hour staffing by care workers, social workers, nurses, and physical therapists. As a cooperative, it is owned and governed by its members. As of June 30, 2026, it reported 4,882 member households and contributed capital of 1,284,060,000 Korean won. It holds regular general meetings and elects directors and auditors; its 13th term of executives was elected in 2026. It also engages members and volunteers through activities such as the Dandelion Seed Volunteer Group and community education. The organization positions itself as a community-based, member-owned alternative in health and welfare, integrating medical treatment, daily living, and care rather than separating them. It is registered as a social cooperative and social enterprise in South Korea and operates primarily in the Daejeon area.

Dandelion Medical Welfare Social Cooperative was founded in 2002 in Daejeon, South Korea. It emerged as a cooperative model in which local residents and medical and welfare workers jointly own and govern health and care services, aiming to build healthy living communities in every neighborhood. Its guiding motto is to care for oneself, care for one another, and care for the community. Over the years, the cooperative expanded from its founding base into a network of institutions in Daejeon. These include Dandelion Clinic, Dandelion Korean Medicine Clinic, Dandelion Dental Clinic, Dandelion Health Screening Center, Dandelion Home Visit Medical Center, Dandelion Day Care Center, and Dandelion Home Welfare Center. A major recent development is the Dandelion Nursing Home with a primary-care doctor, which began admissions in December 2025. The nursing home is designed as an integrated care facility where medical treatment, caregiving, and daily life are not separated, centered on a primary-care physician. It is linked with the cooperative's clinic, Korean medicine clinic, and dental clinic for regular health management and consultation, and it maintains 24-hour staffing by care workers, social workers, nurses, and physical therapists, with rehabilitation programs run by physical therapists. As a cooperative, the organization is owned by its members. As of June 30, 2026, it reported 4,882 member households and contributed capital of 1,284,060,000 Korean won. It holds regular general meetings; its 27th integrated regular general meeting was held on March 14, 2026, and its 13th term of executives (directors and auditors) was elected in 2026. The cooperative also engages its members and the wider community through volunteer activities such as the Dandelion Seed Volunteer Group, which held a meeting in July 2026 focused on oral health education, and through member contests such as the 2nd Coop Bundle Essay Contest, in which member Park Eon-nyeon won an excellence award in July 2026. The organization operates as a social cooperative and social enterprise and remains focused on the Daejeon area, providing medical, care, and preventive services through its member-owned structure.

• 2026

  Held the 27th integrated regular general meeting on March 14.

• 2026

  Elected the 13th term of executives (directors and auditors).

• 2026

  As of June 30, reported 4,882 member households and contributed capital of 1,284,060,000 won.

• 2026

  Member Park Eon-nyeon won an excellence award in the 2nd Coop Bundle Essay Contest in July.

• 2026

  Dandelion Seed Volunteer Group held a meeting in July focused on oral health education.

• 2025

  Dandelion Nursing Home with a primary-care doctor began admissions in December.

• 2002

  Founded in Daejeon, South Korea.

Member-owned social cooperative and social enterprise providing integrated community health, medical, and care services in Daejeon.

• Dandelion Clinic (민들레의원)

  Primary care clinic; weekday hours 08:30–18:30, Saturday 08:30–12:30.

• Dandelion Korean Medicine Clinic (민들레한의원)

  Korean medicine clinic; weekday hours 08:30–18:00, Saturday 08:30–12:30.

• Dandelion Dental Clinic (민들레치과)

  Dental clinic; weekday hours 09:00–18:30, closed Wednesdays, Saturday 09:00–13:00 by appointment.

• Dandelion Health Screening Center (민들레건강검진센터)

  Health screening center; weekday hours 08:30–18:00, Saturday 08:00–12:30 on 1st and 3rd Saturdays only, by appointment.

• Dandelion Home Visit Medical Center (민들레 방문의료센터)

  Home visit medical care services.

• Dandelion Nursing Home with a primary-care doctor (주치의가 있는 민들레요양원)

  Nursing home offering integrated care centered on a primary-care physician; admissions began December 2025; for seniors with long-term care grades 1–5 receiving facility benefits.

• Dandelion Day Care Center (민들레 주간보호센터)

  Day care center providing integrated customized care with primary-care health management for members and residents.

• Dandelion Home Welfare Center (민들레 재가복지센터)

  Home welfare services.

1. 1민들레의료복지사회적협동조합mindlle.org
2. 2Dandelion Medical Welfare Social Cooperative - Wikidatawikidata.org