Different Reactions from Yoon After Meeting... Resident Representative Says "There Is No Future for Medicine" (Comprehensive)

Medical Community "Hoped It Would Be a Starting Point to Resolve the Situation, but It's Regrettable"

Park Dan, Emergency Response Committee Chair of the Korean Intern Resident Association, stated after meeting with President Yoon Seok-yeol, "There is no future for medical care in the Republic of Korea."

Park Dan, Emergency Response Committee Chair of the Korean Intern Resident Association (right).
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Chairman Park made this statement on his personal SNS after meeting President Yoon at the Presidential Office in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, from 2:00 PM to 4:20 PM on the 4th. This reaction contrasts with the earlier statement from a Presidential Office official who said that after a lengthy 140-minute meeting, President Yoon agreed to respect the stance of interns and residents when discussing future medical reforms, including increasing the number of doctors, with the medical community.

According to the Presidential Office on that day, Chairman Park explained in detail the poor treatment and working conditions of interns and residents, and President Yoon was reported to have listened attentively. Sung Tae-yoon, Chief of Policy Office, and Kim Soo-kyung, spokesperson, were present at the meeting.

According to the medical community, the demands of the interns and residents include ▲ complete cancellation of medical school enrollment increases and essential medical package ▲ establishment of a scientific doctor supply and demand forecasting body ▲ expansion of specialist recruitment at training hospitals ▲ legal burden relief for unavoidable medical accidents ▲ improvement of training environment for interns and residents ▲ full withdrawal of unfair administrative orders targeting interns and residents ▲ complete abolition of work commencement orders.

The medical community speculated that Chairman Park’s statement suggests that the dialogue between both sides was not smooth that day. Kim Chang-soo, President of the National Association of Medical School Professors, said, "I hoped that meeting would produce results and serve as a starting point to resolve the situation, but it is regrettable," and when asked about Chairman Park’s stance, he replied, "It was probably because the difference in perspectives between both sides was too great."

Earlier, on the 2nd, President Yoon expressed his willingness to engage in dialogue with the medical community by saying, "There are many medical organizations, but I want to meet directly with the interns and residents who are the parties involved in collective actions and hear their stories." Chairman Park also announced internally on the same day, "I will meet President Yoon Seok-yeol today," adding, "This is a matter decided after sufficient meetings." He explained that he is aware of the concerns of interns and residents regarding the meeting with President Yoon. He said, "There must be many concerns," but added, "I judged that it was worth trying to directly convey the stance of interns and residents and attempt a resolution at least once before the general election."

Meanwhile, the Presidential Office denied some reports on the 4th suggesting that President Yoon hinted at adjusting the medical school enrollment increase to 600 before meeting Chairman Park, stating it is "completely untrue."

The Presidential Office spokesperson’s office said in a press release that afternoon, "It is completely untrue that the Presidential Office hinted at the possibility of adjusting the medical school enrollment increase to about 600."

Earlier, a medical-related media outlet reported, "During the meeting, the Presidential Office reportedly left room for the possibility of adjusting the medical school enrollment increase to about 600."