Vice Minister Park Minsu: "Medical School Expansion is a Fight Between the Public and the Privileged Medical Group... No Compromise"

Park Min-su, the 2nd Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, defined the social conflict surrounding the expansion of medical school quotas as a fight between the public and a privileged group of doctors.

In his opening remarks at the Health Insurance Policy Deliberation Committee meeting held on the 28th at the International Electronics Center in Seocho-gu, Seoul, Vice Minister Park emphasized, "It is not appropriate to describe the conflict between the government and medical professionals as a dispute over protecting the lives and health of the people," adding, "This is a fight between the public and a privileged group of doctors within the public."

Park Min-su, the 1st Chief Coordinator of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters and Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, is briefing on the results of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting on the morning of the 22nd at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

He stated, "There are criticisms that the government is too rigid on the figure of 2,000, but what the government is holding onto is not the number 2,000 itself," and added, "There was scientific research conducted and demands from various social classes before the policy decision of 2,000 was made."

He continued, "The medical community never acknowledged a shortage of doctors during the discussion process, and the dialogue did not progress," and said, "We requested the appropriate increase scale by official letter in January, but there was no response."

He then pointed out, "Now, to completely overturn the policy decision process and demand that the medical school quota expansion be reduced to zero is a power-based anti-intellectual demand."

Vice Minister Park said, "The law is equal before all people," and added, "In a liberal democratic country, anyone who commits illegal acts must bear corresponding responsibility, which is a fundamental principle."

He appealed, "We cannot compromise on attempts to undermine the most fundamental principles of a democratic republic," and urged, "I ask the public to unite their strength to resolve this issue."