Lee Jae-myung on 'Medical School Quota Expansion': "Political Show at the Expense of People's Livelihood"

"How can they even think of increasing by 2,000 people?"
"A political show trying to mediate a compromise after creating confusion"

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, labeled the government's plan to expand medical school quotas as a "political show" and stated, "We will create an emergency task force to discuss this with the Korean Medical Association."

At the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the morning of the 19th, Lee said, "There is serious controversy surrounding the issue of expanding medical school quotas, and many people are worried," adding, "I am truly concerned about how anyone could come up with the idea of increasing the quota by 2,000 all at once."

Democratic Party of Korea leader Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 19th.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

He questioned, "When the Democratic Party proposed increasing the medical school quota by 400 students annually over 10 years, how did the ruling party react? If you immediately increase the quota by 2,000, which is five times 400, can the current medical schools accommodate that?" He also said, "I think the policy authorities must have predicted this; they are not that foolish," challenging the government.

In particular, he claimed, "There is even a scenario circulating that suggests throwing out demands that are impossible to accept, then maximizing confusion and backlash to attract public attention, and later someone appears to reduce the scale and bring about a smooth compromise?this is a 'political show'." He added, "I think the same way."

Lee said, "Approaching issues of people's livelihood and national governance strategically like this is a serious problem," and added, "The Democratic Party will create an emergency task force to resolve social conflicts and confusion caused by the increase in medical school quotas and discuss this with the Korean Medical Association." He emphasized, "Increasing the number of doctors is not simply an arithmetic problem but a national agenda and a complex equation. There must be precise content such as the introduction of a regional doctor system, and it must be an effective policy that saves lives."