Yoon: "Increasing Medical School Quotas is the Starting Point of Medical Reform... Medical Education Improvement Plan to be Prepared in April"

Presiding Over Cabinet Meeting at Presidential Office Building
"Professors Should Actively Engage in Dialogue with Government"

President Yoon Suk-yeol is speaking while wearing a forget-me-not badge at the Cabinet meeting held on the 26th at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon Suk-yeol stated at the Cabinet meeting on the 26th that "Increasing the number of medical school admissions is the starting point of medical reform," and added, "Based on the response and experience from this collective action, we will innovate the entire medical response system so that it can function properly even during normal times." To prevent concerns about a decline in medical quality raised by some, President Yoon emphasized that sufficient facilities and equipment will be provided by 2027, when next year's medical school entrants begin their clinical courses, and that a "Plan to Improve Medical Education Conditions" will be prepared by April. He also urged medical school professors who have collectively resigned to persuade residents to return and to engage in dialogue with the government.

On the morning of the same day, President Yoon presided over the Cabinet meeting at the Yongsan Presidential Office in Seoul and addressed the medical community, which has taken collective action opposing the increase in medical school admissions, saying, "I hope you will actively engage in dialogue with the government for medical reform." The day before, President Yoon instructed to "communicate more closely with various sectors of society, including the medical community." Accordingly, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is scheduled to meet with key medical sector figures at Seoul National University Hospital in the afternoon.

President Yoon reiterated the necessity of increasing medical school admissions. He mentioned, "With the admission quotas finalized by each university, the minimum necessary condition for medical reform has been established," and added, "Since it will take another 10 years for the increased personnel to graduate, the remaining medical reform tasks must also be implemented swiftly." The government completed the allocation of next year's medical school quotas by university on the 20th, focusing the increased 2,000 seats on regional base national medical schools and non-metropolitan areas, demonstrating its determination to steadily accomplish medical reform starting with the increase in medical school admissions.

He also emphasized that increasing medical school admissions is an element for balanced regional development. President Yoon said, "Only when medical care and education are supported can the living conditions in regions improve, enabling balanced regional development," and added, "We will revive the collapsing regional and essential medical services, realize a livable local era not only through medical reform but also by eliminating regional disparities in essential social services, thereby strengthening the overall sustainability of our country."

President Yoon Suk-yeol is presiding over a Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Office building in Yongsan, Seoul, on the 26th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

"Fostering Regional Hospitals... Improving Resident-Dependent System"

The government plans to use the increase in medical school admissions as a catalyst to foster capable regional hospitals. First, it intends to develop regional base national university hospitals as central institutions for regional and essential medical care, supporting them to have clinical, educational, and research capabilities comparable to the Big 5 hospitals in the metropolitan area. President Yoon explained, "We will significantly expand investment in essential medical research and development (R&D) to enhance regional clinical capabilities and solidify the foundation for the development of the health and medical industry," and added, "We will also foster secondary hospitals and specialized hospitals specialized in essential medical care to improve response capabilities for severe emergency patients where golden time is critical, and simultaneously strengthen pediatric and obstetric clinical capabilities."

The government promised to establish a support system covering the entire cycle?from student selection, resident training, to working at regional hospitals?to ensure that the increased number of doctors settle in the regions. The system of tertiary general hospitals, which excessively depend on residents, will also be improved. President Yoon stated, "We will drastically improve the resident training environment, including continuous working hours and compensation systems," and added, "The government will not spare financial investment and support for medical education."

Based on the demand survey results by university, a "Plan to Improve Medical Education Conditions" will be prepared by April, and prompt actions will be taken on reforming the resident training system, introducing a contract-based regional essential doctor system, restructuring the medical delivery system, fair compensation for essential medical care, managing non-reimbursable services, and establishing a medical accident safety net. Experts from various fields, including the medical community, will be involved in the presidentially-led "Medical Reform Special Committee," which will be launched next month, to discuss concrete implementation plans for medical reform.

He urged medical school professors who began collective resignation in protest against the increase in medical school admissions from the previous day to engage in dialogue. President Yoon said, "I hope you will actively engage in dialogue with the government for medical reform," and requested, "Please persuade your trainees, the residents, to return as soon as possible." He added, "Our government's medical reform is from start to finish aimed at protecting the lives and health of the people," and emphasized, "We will thoroughly prepare to ensure there are no gaps in critical and emergency medical care."

President Yoon Suk-yeol wearing a forget-me-not badge
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Wearing the Forget-Me-Not Badge, President Yoon Says "We Will Not Forget POWs and Abductees"

Additionally, President Yoon wore a forget-me-not badge alongside Cabinet members on this day, expressing his commitment not to forget prisoners of war, abductees, and detainees. The forget-me-not flower symbolizes "Please do not forget me," and since 2000, the forget-me-not badge campaign has been led by the Korean War POW and Abductee Families Association. This is the first time a president has worn the forget-me-not badge.

President Yoon said, "Each and every prisoner of war, abductee, and detainee holds on to the hope of someday returning to the Republic of Korea from North Korea, where even minimal human rights are not guaranteed," and promised, "The government will do its utmost to bring all of them back to their families."

He also mentioned the 14th anniversary of the Cheonan ship attack, warning, "The government will never tolerate any provocations by the North Korean regime and will ensure they pay a severe price."

President Yoon: "Expanding R&D Investment in National Future Strategic Technologies Next Year"

He expressed his determination to reflect in next year's budget the significant strengthening of support for creating an innovation ecosystem, research and development (R&D) investment, welfare for the vulnerable, and measures to address low birth rates. President Yoon specifically said, "We will expand R&D investment in three major game-changing national future strategic technologies: artificial intelligence (AI), advanced bio, and quantum," and explained, "Along with this investment expansion, we will exempt preliminary feasibility studies for challenging and innovative R&D and promote system reforms to enable timely acquisition of research equipment."

While the government is implementing measures to revitalize the capital market, such as reducing the scope of stock transfer tax, abolishing financial investment income tax, and expanding tax benefits for Individual Savings Accounts (ISA), it plans to introduce additional policies. President Yoon explained, "We plan to reduce corporate tax and dividend income tax for value-up companies and shareholders who voluntarily increase corporate value," and added, "We will promptly present value-up disclosure guidelines, develop a value-up index, and launch an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that pools stocks of excellent value-up companies as an investment product."

Regarding criticism that these are tax cuts for the wealthy and tailored policies for high-income groups, he responded, "This is to provide more opportunities and benefits to many citizens, including 15 million homeowners and 14 million individual investors," and stated, "It should not be attacked as a tax cut for the rich."

Concerning the upcoming general election, with official campaigning starting on the 28th, he urged, "The government must do its utmost to support fair and transparent elections, which are the core of the democratic political system."