The Korean Medical Association has formed an emergency countermeasure committee and decided to take action in opposition to the policy of expanding medical school quotas. They also emphasized that if the government unilaterally enforces the increase, they will escalate collective actions and conduct a strike vote among doctor members.
On the 26th, Lee Pil-su, president of the KMA, announced this at a joint meeting of national doctor representatives and expanded executives. In addition to KMA executives, representatives and executives from 16 city and provincial branches, the Resident Doctors' Council, the Women's Medical Association, and other councils attended the meeting. According to the KMA, 122 out of 200 invited participants attended.
Regarding the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s announcement on the 21st of the results of the quota increase demand survey conducted on 40 medical schools nationwide, President Lee said, "The medical community feels very strong anger at the government’s biased demand survey and unilateral announcement of results," and claimed, "The government is manipulating public opinion on medical school quotas based on a one-sided demand survey without scientific or objective analysis."
He continued, "The government is trying to solve essential medical service gaps and the lack of regional medical infrastructure solely by increasing medical school quotas without analyzing the distribution of medical personnel," and criticized, "The government’s unilateral policy implementation without consultation with the medical community completely ignores the issues discussed through the Medical Issues Consultative Body."
He also announced actions to block the quota increase. President Lee said, "The KMA will form a special emergency countermeasure committee under the executive branch early next week, and I will personally take the position of emergency countermeasure committee chair to lead the struggle," adding, "We will respond immediately and strongly to the government’s unilateral policy push."
He stated, "If the government unilaterally pushes for an increase in medical school quotas, we will mobilize the full capacity of the medical community to hold regional rallies and a nationwide doctors’ general rally," and "We will immediately conduct a strike vote among all members to decide whether to strike."
Additionally, he demanded the dismissal of government officials responsible and expressed his determination to fight by shaving his head abruptly.
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