Yu Uidong "Cannot change plan to increase medical school quota by 2,000... Number compromise also inappropriate"

"Entering a Super-Aged Society... Medical System Needs Review"

Amid intense conflicts between the government and the medical community over the plan to increase medical school quotas by 2,000, Yoo Ui-dong, the Policy Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, stated that "this policy is difficult to back down from."

On the 28th, Yoo appeared on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' and said, "As our country becomes a super-aged society, the demand for elderly medical and healthcare services is explosively increasing," adding, "If we do not review the overall medical system at this point, we will inevitably face difficult situations in 10 years."

On the 27th, as the collective action of residents opposing the government's plan to increase medical school quotas prolonged, medical staff were seen moving at Yangsan Busan National University Hospital in Mulgeum-eup, Yangsan-si, Gyeongnam. Photo by Yonhap News

He continued, "Even if we increase the quota by 2,000 per year now, the doctors will graduate 10 years later," emphasizing, "Therefore, the discussion should not be about simply increasing the number of doctors, but about how to achieve medical reform by increasing the number of doctors."

Regarding the medical community's claim that the sudden increase in quotas could lower the quality of education, he explained, "The government says it has created countermeasures through inter-ministerial consultations," adding, "They are proceeding in a sort of 'open-door departure' manner, evaluating whether the measures are right or wrong one by one." He also said, "It is a problem that can be sufficiently resolved while moving forward according to the increase plan."

Furthermore, Yoo stressed, "Which government or political group would tolerate the collapse of medical services due to an oversupply of doctors?" and emphasized, "The clear fact at this point is that there is an absolute shortage of doctors, and it should not be a matter of compromise or concession regarding the medical school quota numbers. The public will not agree to that."