Medical Association Launches Hardline Fight Against Medical School Expansion...Forms Emergency Committee and Announces General Strike (Comprehensive)

KMA to Discuss Formation of Emergency Committee and Strike at Meeting on 26th
KMA President Il-su Lee Shaves Head at Joint Meeting
"Strike Referendum if Medical School Expansion Enforced"
Discussion on Medical Issues Council Expected to Continue

The Korean Medical Association (KMA) has formed an emergency countermeasure committee and announced a tough struggle in protest against the government's plan to increase the quota for medical schools. The KMA warned that if the government unilaterally pushes forward with the increase in medical school admissions, it will hold a strike vote among its members.

Lee Pil-su, President of the Korean Medical Association, is shaving his head at the National Doctors' Representatives and Expanded Executive Joint Meeting held at the Korean Medical Association Hall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul on the 26th.
[Photo by Korean Medical Association]

On the 26th, at the joint meeting of national medical representatives and expanded executives held at the KMA headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, KMA President Il-su Lee stated, "It is now time for the entire medical community to unite as one and actively begin actions to block the increase in medical school quotas."

At the meeting, the KMA declared that if the government unilaterally enforces the increase in medical school admissions, it will push for a strike. President Lee warned, "If the government unilaterally pursues the increase in medical school quotas, the medical community will mobilize all its capabilities to intensify the struggle by holding regional rallies and a nationwide doctors' general rally," adding, "We will immediately conduct a strike vote among all members to decide whether to proceed with the strike."

The KMA also reiterated its existing stance that the government's survey on medical school quota demand was a public opinion manipulation. The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced the results of a survey on quota increases conducted on 40 medical schools nationwide on the 21st. President Lee said, "The government is trying to use this medical school quota demand survey, which only reflects the wishes of interested parties, as a basis for expanding medical school quotas," and added, "The medical community can no longer stand by and watch this government-led public opinion manipulation."

Regarding the government, he demanded, "The government must adhere to the principles of the September 4 medical agreement and conduct sufficient discussions and reach consensus with the medical community on the issue of medical school quotas through the Medical Issues Consultative Body," and "The government officials responsible for conducting a hasty, flawed, and unfair medical school quota demand survey and unilaterally announcing the results, thereby causing confusion in medical sites and undermining trust in medical-government relations, must be immediately dismissed."

After concluding his remarks at the meeting, President Lee demonstrated his determination to fight by shaving his head.

Lee Pil-su, President of the Korean Medical Association (right), and Choi Dae-jip, former President of the Korean Medical Association, are speaking at the National Doctors' Representatives and Expanded Executive Joint Meeting held on the 26th at the Korean Medical Association Hall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul.
[Photo by Korean Medical Association]

Following President Lee, Park Sung-min, chairman of the KMA's delegate council, took the podium and said, "If the government destroys trust with the KMA and forcibly adjusts medical school quotas, strong struggles by all means will be inevitable," adding, "If the government itself collapses the medical system and forces sacrifices on the future of medicine, 140,000 doctors will rise in a general rally and engage in an all-out struggle."

Choi Dae-jip, former KMA president classified as a hardliner, also urged for a struggle. As the KMA president during the 2020 push for establishing a public medical school, he led doctors' collective actions and achieved the September 4 medical agreement. Former President Choi said, "We are facing the current government's unilateral breach of the medical agreement and stand at the edge of a cliff with nowhere else to retreat," and raised his voice, "We must immediately and comprehensively mobilize all our means, including a nationwide doctors' general strike and a broad social struggle against the government."

In addition to KMA executives, representatives and executives from 16 city and provincial branches, councils, and the Korean Women Doctors' Association attended the meeting. According to the KMA, 122 out of 200 invited participants attended.

In a resolution announced after the meeting, they stated, "The government is now ruthlessly breaking the September 4 medical agreement and brutally trampling on the trust of the medical community," and emphasized, "We regard the government's behavior of pushing the medical school quota policy solely by the logic of power without reasonable grounds as a 'declaration of war on Korean healthcare' that threatens the health of the people, and we will resist with all our might."

They also solemnly declared, "If the government ultimately closes its eyes and ears despite the medical community's desperate cries and calls, 140,000 doctors and 20,000 medical and graduate medical school students nationwide will rise up resolutely to convey our will."

In the resolution, the medical representatives demanded the government to ▲ create a medical environment where essential medical workers can focus on patient care ▲ protect the medical ecosystem and revive disappearing regional healthcare ▲ disclose specific measures and roadmaps to ensure that graduating doctors enter essential and regional medical fields.

On the 26th, participants are shouting slogans at the National Doctors' Representatives and Expanded Executive Joint Meeting held at the Korean Medical Association building in Yongsan-gu, Seoul.
[Photo by Korean Medical Association]

Despite the medical community's strong determination to struggle, discussions with the government are expected to continue for the time being. After the meeting, President Lee told reporters, "We will participate in the Medical Issues Consultative Body as much as possible to provide opinions," but added, "If the government tries to bypass the Consultative Body or conduct discussions as a mere show after deciding the results in advance, we will never tolerate it." The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the KMA are discussing issues such as medical school quota increases and essential and regional medical care through the Medical Issues Consultative Body.

Meanwhile, medical student organizations have not yet shown clear movements. The Association of Medical and Graduate Medical School Students (U-Med Association) held an extraordinary general meeting the day before to discuss responses such as collective actions against the government's expansion of medical school quotas but reportedly did not reach a clear conclusion.