[Asia Economy Reporter Kwangho Lee] Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on the 2nd urged the Korean Medical Association, which has announced a total strike in protest against the government's plan to increase medical school quotas, to "refrain from collective action and resolve the issue through dialogue."
At the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH) meeting on COVID-19 held at the Government Seoul Office that day, Prime Minister Chung said, "If the medical community proceeds with a collective strike, it will place a heavy burden on quarantine efforts and ultimately the damage will fall on the people."
The Medical Association announced on the 1st that it would launch a collective strike on the 14th of this month, presenting demands to the government. On the 7th, a first round of collective strike by residents is also scheduled.
Earlier, the Democratic Party of Korea and the government had confirmed a plan to temporarily increase medical school quotas for 10 years starting from the 2022 academic year, to train an additional 4,000 doctors in total.
Prime Minister Chung said, "Recently, the medical community has opposed government policies to strengthen public healthcare, such as expanding medical school quotas and establishing public medical schools," adding, "I am well aware that many medical professionals have silently devoted themselves on the front lines of COVID-19, so I feel very sorry about the current situation."
He continued, "Through this COVID-19 experience, many citizens have realized the shortage of public healthcare personnel," and expressed, "It is true that compared to other countries, the number of doctors in our country is insufficient."
He then instructed, "The Ministry of Health and Welfare should further strengthen continuous communication with the medical community," and "In any case, please meticulously prepare response plans for each situation to ensure that the public does not suffer damage."
Regarding the heavy rain causing continuous damage mainly in the central region, Prime Minister Chung said, "A firefighter who was dispatched to a rescue site in Chungju, Chungbuk has gone missing," and added, "I pray for the repose of the deceased and the safe return of the missing person."
He also urged, "Relevant ministries and local governments should thoroughly implement safety measures in hazardous areas such as steep slopes and riverbanks to minimize additional damage, and pay special attention to the safety of rescue workers."
Prime Minister Chung further stated, "For the first time since COVID-19, major economic indicators such as production, consumption, and investment in June are gradually improving," and said, "While major countries like the United States and the European Union (EU) recorded the worst economic growth rates in the second quarter, we are being evaluated as relatively holding up well."
He added, "This ultimately shows that solid quarantine measures are the shortcut to economic recovery," and emphasized, "The government will continue to maintain thorough quarantine measures until COVID-19 ends and will pursue multifaceted policies to revive economic vitality."
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