KMA Emergency Committee: "Government Oppression at Level of Losing Reason"

"Freedom to Choose Medical Profession Must Be Respected as a Fundamental Right of the People"
"Medical Association Emergency Committee Chair and Vice Minister of Health to Hold TV Debate on the 23rd"

The Emergency Response Committee of the Korean Medical Association criticized the government's tough response to residents who left hospitals, saying, "The government's basic repression has now spread to a level that has lost reason."

Joo Suho, Chairman of the Emergency Response Committee's Public Relations Committee of the Korean Medical Association, is answering questions at the first regular briefing of the Emergency Response Committee at 2 p.m. on the 21st at the Korean Medical Association Hall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Choi Taewon peaceful1@

On the 21st at 2 p.m., the Emergency Response Committee held its first regular briefing at the Korean Medical Association building in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and made this statement. The regular briefing of the Emergency Response Committee serves as a rebuttal to the Ministry of Health and Welfare's regular briefing by the 'Central Accident Management Headquarters for Doctors' Collective Action (CAMH)'.

Joo Suho, the Public Relations Officer of the Emergency Response Committee, said, "The Ministry of Health and Welfare has defined the residents' resignations as collective action and issued work commencement orders to 6,112 residents to punish them. While the public's right to life is naturally precious, the freedom of doctors to choose their profession should also be respected as a fundamental right of the people."

He also mentioned the Ministry of Health and Welfare's official letter sent to the Korean Medical Association the previous day requesting the suspension of fundraising and the Military Manpower Administration's official letter sent to residents regarding precautions for overseas travel. The Emergency Response Committee is collecting funds to protect members and support the struggle. The Ministry of Health and Welfare requested the suspension of such fundraising activities, claiming they support illegal collective actions. The letter also contained a warning that legal measures would be taken if the Korean Medical Association did not cooperate.

The Military Manpower Administration issued a letter stating that medical officer candidates who submitted resignations as part of collective action must obtain a recommendation letter from their affiliated institution head when applying for overseas travel permission, just like regular trainees.

Chairman Joo pointed out, "Even though residents who have already resigned are not affiliated with hospitals, it is considered that they need the hospital director's permission to travel abroad," and added, "The Military Manpower Administration sent a letter equivalent to a travel ban order, which is usually issued only to serious criminals. The government is equating doctors with violent criminals."

He warned, "No matter how much the government represses actions based on free will (residents' resignations) as illegal, nothing will change. If one doctor is oppressed, 1,000 doctors will give up their profession, and as that number grows, all doctors in the Republic of Korea will give up becoming doctors."

Meanwhile, Chairman Joo also announced that a TV debate between Emergency Response Committee Chairman Kim Taekwoo and Park Minsu, the 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, is scheduled for the 23rd at 3 p.m. The debate will be broadcast live for 90 minutes.