Jeonui Gyo Hyup "Voluntary Resignation and 52-Hour Workweek to Start as Scheduled"

"Expansion of Medical School Quotas Will Collapse Korean Healthcare System"
"How Can We Accept It When Education Is Impossible?"

The National Council of Medical School Professors (Jeonui Gyohyeop) declared that the expansion of medical school quotas will collapse the Korean healthcare system and announced that they will proceed with voluntary resignations and the 52-hour workweek as planned.

Kim Chang-su, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the National Association of Medical School Professors.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 25th, Jeonui Gyohyeop stated this in a press release and demanded responsible action from the government. Jeonui Gyohyeop said, "At the meeting with Han Dong-hoon, the Emergency Response Chairman of the People Power Party, on the 24th, we expressed concerns that 'punishing residents will trigger resignations of medical school professors and lead to the collapse of the healthcare system,'" adding, "Intimidation of medical staff, including residents and students, by high-ranking public officials will worsen the situation, and we demanded responsible government measures to address this."

They dismissed the expansion and allocation of medical school admission quotas as not subject to consultation or discussion. Kim Chang-soo, the chairman of Jeonui Gyohyeop, explained, "How can we accept the quota when education is impossible?"

They also proposed a re-discussion from the starting point, not an unconditional opposition to the increase. Jeonui Gyohyeop stated, "It has already been confirmed that education is impossible at most universities with increased quotas, such as Chungbuk Medical School and Busan Medical School, where the number of students has increased up to four times compared to the current number," adding, "This crisis cannot be resolved without the government's withdrawal of admission quotas and quota allocations, and if the government intends to withdraw, we are ready to discuss all issues in front of the public."

They further said, "Voluntary resignations of professors triggered by the unilateral decision of the current admission quotas and the subsequent quota allocations that universities cannot handle, the unavoidable choice of the 52-hour workweek due to accumulated fatigue, and the reduction of outpatient care for critical and emergency patients will proceed as planned starting today (the 25th)."