KMA: "Medical School Quota Allocation, Haphazard Desk Administration"

Countermeasures to Be Announced Through Meeting on the 24th

The medical community criticized the government's announced allocation of medical school quotas as a slapdash and desk-bound administration.

Kim Taek-woo, Chairman of the Emergency Response Committee of the Korean Medical Association, held a regular briefing at 3 p.m. on the 21st at the KMA Hall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and expressed his position.
Photo by Choi Tae-won peaceful1@

The Emergency Committee of the Korean Medical Association (KMA) held a regular briefing at 3 p.m. on the 21st at the KMA headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, stating this. Kim Taek-woo, chairman of the KMA Emergency Committee, said, "Looking at the detailed contents announced by the government on the 20th, it is shocking and speechless that the allocation was done in a slapdash manner, just matching numbers prettily without considering the medical field at all, a desk-bound administration," adding, "The briefing by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health and Welfare was full of sophistry that thoroughly ignored the doctors who had sincerely engaged in medical-government consultations."

He also argued that the government's patchwork policies have led to the collapse of essential medical care. He said, "For the past 20 years, we doctors have strongly demanded improvements to systems that distort Korean healthcare," adding, "However, the government has neglected system improvements that require costs and persuading the public, and through patchwork policies has caused today's collapse of essential medical care."

He continued, "Despite the medical community's earnest appeals, the government announced the increase of 2,000 medical school students like a lightning strike, which will completely ruin our country's medical system," adding, "Such an oppressive and closed regime is unprecedented in history anywhere."

Meanwhile, the KMA Emergency Committee plans to disclose countermeasures through a meeting scheduled for 2 p.m. on the 24th. Kim Sung-geun, deputy spokesperson of the KMA Emergency Committee, said, "The joint meeting of four organizations on the 20th proceeded as planned, and no special conclusions were reached," adding, "We have a meeting scheduled for 2 p.m. on the 24th. After the meeting on the 24th, we will be able to disclose (specific countermeasures)."