Yoon Sung-chan, President of the Korean Medicine Association, Makes Resolute Remarks at Inauguration Ceremony
Continues Criticism Mentioning 'Yang Doctor Cartel'
Advocates for Use of Diagnostic Devices and Expansion of Primary Care Role
Yoon Seong-chan, the 45th president of the Korea Oriental Medicine Association, stated, "The current reality where the entire nation only watches the doctors of Western medicine shows that there is a problem with the Western medicine-centered healthcare system," and advocated for the free use of diagnostic devices by Oriental medicine doctors and the expansion of their role in primary care. In particular, he claimed to be an expert capable of breaking the 'Western doctor cartel.'
Yoon Sung-chan, the newly appointed president of the Korean Medicine Association. Photo by the Korean Medicine Association
On the 4th, President Yoon made these remarks at the inauguration ceremony of the 45th president held at the Korean Oriental Medicine Association building. Chief Vice President Jeong Yu-ong was also inaugurated on the same day, and about 200 guests, including Choi Kwang-hoon, president of the Korea Pharmaceutical Association, attended. Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, Cho Guk, leader of the Innovation Party, National Assembly member Kim Ki-hyun, and former floor leader of the Liberty Korea Party Na Kyung-won congratulated the inauguration through congratulatory messages. President Yoon mentioned, "Currently, not only the Oriental medicine community but also the healthcare sector is in a crisis, and to overcome this, the fundamental problems of the Western medicine-centered healthcare system must be resolved."
He continued, "The acts that Oriental medicine doctors should and can perform for the health of the people are not covered by health insurance, and unlike non-reimbursed Western medical treatments, even treatment-oriented Oriental medical care is not covered by indemnity insurance, which can be considered a second health insurance. This reality restricts the medical choice of citizens who want Oriental medical treatment and is the biggest difficulty faced by the Oriental medicine community," adding, "Now, the Western medicine uniformity and Western medicine-centered medical system must be reformed. No longer should the people, the National Assembly, the government, or other healthcare professions except Western doctors only watch the Western doctors' moves; this situation must be changed."
President Yoon also addressed the medical vacuum. He said, "Due to the collective action of Western medical residents, Western public health doctors were dispatched to hospitals to fill the medical vacuum, which put the medically underserved local areas where they originally worked at risk of a medical vacuum. However, if Oriental medicine doctors are utilized, that gap can be sufficiently filled," emphasizing, "If Oriental medicine doctors can play a bigger role in primary care, incidents like the recent intimidation of the public by Western medical organizations to enforce a 40-hour weekly clinic operation at the clinic level or the 2015 boycott of influenza vaccinations for the elderly by Western medical groups will never happen." He stressed the need to expand the role of Oriental medicine doctors in primary care.
"Oriental medicine is the most suitable medicine for primary care... We must break the Western doctor cartel"
Yoon Seong-chan, the newly appointed president of the Korean Medicine Association (left), and Jeong Yu-ong, the senior vice president, are taking the oath of office on the 4th. [Photo by Korean Medicine Association]
Furthermore, President Yoon said, "I am confident that Oriental medicine is the most suitable medicine for primary care, which must be further strengthened in the future," and added, "If Oriental medicine is established in primary care through the free use of diagnostic devices and institutional improvements, I am confident that it can advance from modern Oriental medicine to future Oriental medicine and widely promote K-medi as Korea's representative medicine worldwide." He expressed his ambition, saying, "During my three-year term, I will do my best to build a healthier and more sustainable Korean healthcare system by expanding the role of Oriental medicine doctors in primary care and to create K-medi that can be proudly presented to the world."
President Yoon repeatedly mentioned the 'Western doctor cartel' in his inaugural speech. He said, "The treatment effects and disease management of Oriental medicine clinics for diseases that make up most of primary care are by no means inferior to Western medical clinics," adding, "It is just that they cannot freely use diagnostic devices and are not properly covered by health insurance and indemnity insurance, so they cannot compete equally with Western medicine." He continued, "If Oriental medicine can compete on equal terms with Western medicine in primary care, I am confident that it can receive more love and choice from the people than Western doctors," emphasizing, "An expert is needed to check and compete with Western doctors and break the cartel."
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