Medical Students Frustrated Trying to Save Pride... Government Says "Never Heard of Intent to Take Exam" (Update)

Kim Kang-lip Vice Minister: "There are limits to considering additional opportunities based on guessing medical students' intentions"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] Although fourth-year medical students nationwide have ceased collective actions and indirectly expressed their intention to retake the exam, the conflict between medical students and the government is escalating into a battle of pride as the government maintains its stance of 'no reconsideration for retaking the exam.'

On the 16th, Kim Kang-lip, the First Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, stated at a regular briefing held at the Government Complex Sejong regarding the opportunity for medical students to retake the national exam, "While it is concerning that there may be unfortunate cases, it is not yet a situation to consider changing the government's existing position."

Vice Minister Kim said, "The medical students have not clearly expressed their intentions," and added, "The government judges that there are limits to guessing (the students') intentions and considering additional opportunities to take the national exam."

The Korea Medical Students Association (KMSA), representing the medical students, announced on the 14th that they would suspend collective actions such as strike leaves and refusal to take the national exam. In the medical community, since fourth-year students had used refusal to take the medical licensing exam as a form of collective action, the suspension of collective actions is interpreted as a withdrawal of refusal and an intention to take the exam.

However, the government reiterated that since the medical students have not directly expressed their intention to take the exam, it is not yet at a stage to consider remedial measures.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

National Association of Medical School Professors: "Withdrawal of Exam Refusal Implies Taking the Exam" Represents Medical Students
Lee Yoon-sung, Director of the Korea Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute: "Due to strong public opposition, the political sphere must intervene to resolve the issue"

As the government maintained its refusal to allow retaking the exam despite ongoing demands from the medical community, the National Association of Medical School Professors (NAMSP), which had supported the medical students, stepped forward. NAMSP stated, "Stopping refusal means taking the exam," representing the medical students, but the situation shows no signs of resolution.

There has been no concrete discussion in the political sphere regarding relief for the medical students. Jeong Jeong-ae, Chair of the Policy Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea, said, "I understand that the meaning of the medical students' suspension of collective action is different from what the media reports," and regarded that the students have not directly expressed their intention to take the exam.

As the government holds a firm stance and the political sphere shows no movement amid strong public opposition, an anxious atmosphere is spreading among the medical students who refused to take the exam. It is reported that a considerable number of fourth-year students, who are about to graduate next year, wish to take the exam. A medical student who requested anonymity said, "Although we have stopped collective actions, from the perspective of the KMSA, which has fiercely opposed government medical policies and engaged in strong protests, it is difficult to say 'I will take the exam,'" adding, "We want to preserve our last bit of pride."

In response, Lee Yoon-sung, Director of the Korea Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute, which manages the medical licensing exam, urged the political sphere to intervene. Director Lee said, "In the pride battle between the students and the government, ultimately the public may suffer," and added, "Regarding retaking the exam, due to issues of fairness and equity and strong public opposition, it is now difficult for the Ministry of Health and Welfare to resolve this, so the political sphere must make a decision and work to resolve the situation."

Meanwhile, among the 3,172 eligible candidates for the medical licensing exam, only 446, or 14%, applied by the deadline on the 6th.