Although Korea was the first country to provide hospice services in Asia, in 1965, a hospice-palliative care system has not yet been firmly established. Because of controversies surrounding end-of-life decision-making, the passage of the Hospice-Palliative Care and End-of-Life Decision Act was delayed in the National Assembly. It will finally be implemented in August 2017. For this new legislation to be successful, regulatory support from the government is essential, because there are many pitfalls in the law. In addition, a cultural movement towards ‘death with dignity’ is necessary, and the National Health Insurance system should support the cost of providing adequate care to terminal patients.