President Choi Dae-jip of the Korean Medical Association Faces Impeachment Crisis... Medical-Government Agreement Complications

Suspension over Internal Criticism of Unilateral Legislative Agreement... "Impeachment Decision at Temporary General Meeting"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] Choi Dae-jip, president of the Korea Medical Association (KMA), who has been criticized for unilaterally signing the 'Medical Policy Agreement' with the government and ruling party, has been suspended from duty following the submission of a no-confidence motion.

According to the medical community on the 18th, the KMA plans to hold a temporary general assembly on the 19th to decide on the date for the delegates' council steering committee meeting, where the no-confidence motion against President Choi and other executives, as well as the formation of an emergency countermeasure committee, will be resolved.

A KMA official said, "Since a no-confidence motion against the president and other key executives has been submitted, the delegates' council steering committee will meet tomorrow," adding, "It is expected that the temporary general assembly will be convened before the Chuseok holiday."

According to the KMA, Ju Shin-gu, a delegate from the Jeju Medical Association, submitted five proposals to the KMA on the 17th, including the no-confidence motion against President Choi and other KMA executives, the formation plan for the KMA emergency committee, and the operational regulations plan, along with consent forms from 82 delegates. Since more than one-third of the 242 registered delegates demanded the convening of the general assembly, the assembly was confirmed, and the no-confidence motion against the president and executives was automatically proposed.

The executives against whom the no-confidence motion was proposed include President Choi, Executive Vice President Bang Sang-hyuk, Director of General Affairs Park Jong-hyuk, Medical Director Park Yong-eon, Policy Director Sung Jong-ho, External Cooperation Director Song Myung-je, Planning Director and Medical Director Cho Min-ho, and Public Relations Director and Spokesperson Kim Dae-ha.

If more than two-thirds of the registered delegates attend the general assembly and the majority of the attending delegates vote in favor of the no-confidence motion against President Choi, he will be impeached.

A KMA official expressed concern, saying, "If President Choi is impeached, the implementation of the medical policy agreement will be disrupted," adding, "It means the process has been hindered from the very beginning of the medical policy agreement." He continued, "The internal atmosphere is still unknown," and "The decision will be made at the temporary general assembly."