KMA "Considering Collective Action... This Is the Only Way to Express Opinions"

"Forming an Emergency Response Committee... Decision to Be Made Through Meeting on the 17th"

The Korea Medical Association (KMA), mainly composed of private practitioners running local clinics, announced that it is considering collective action by doctors.

On the 14th, Kim Taek-woo, chairman of the KMA Emergency Response Committee, appeared on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' and emphasized, "We believe this is a part of what we can do for proper medical policy," adding, "Since we feel we cannot express our opinions, we have no choice but to take this approach."

On the morning of the 13th, the Korea Medical Association building in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

The KMA shifted to an emergency response committee system after President Lee Pil-soo resigned on the 6th, following the decision to increase medical school admissions. Since then, they have not disclosed their stance on whether to initiate collective action. Chairman Kim said, "We are currently hastily organizing the Emergency Response Committee to oppose the government's policy," and added, "We plan to hold an Emergency Response Committee meeting on Saturday the 17th, and our position will probably be decided then."

Regarding the doctors' organizations' backlash against the decision to increase the number of doctors as a "unilateral decision," and the government's statement that "a total of 28 medical issue consultation meetings were held," Kim rebutted, saying, "There was no discussion about increasing the number of doctors at all." He stated, "Although consultation meetings were held, I cannot understand why the media claims that even numbers regarding doctor increases were mentioned. It seems like they are pressuring us with the number of meetings, but we absolutely cannot accept that in terms of content."

When asked by the host whether the government's policy to increase medical school admissions is seen as a "general election strategy," he replied, "It is not for the medical community to evaluate," but added, "However, since the majority of the public and media say that the medical community increase card was brought out to change the mood after the defeat in the by-election for the mayor of Gangseo District, we also speculate that this might be the case."