The Korean Medical Association Emergency Response Committee Chair: "We Will Fully Explain Within the Given Time"

"President-elect's Regret Over Statement Made Through Press Release"
"Medical Community Integration Press Conference to Be Held Soon"

As Lim Hyun-taek, the president-elect of the Korean Medical Association (KMA), stated that he should serve as the chair of the Emergency Response Committee, Kim Taek-woo, the chair of the KMA Emergency Response Committee, emphasized the legitimacy of the committee and drew a clear line by stating that he will adhere to the fixed term.

Kim Taek-woo, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the Korean Medical Association. / Photo by Choi Tae-won peaceful1@

The KMA Emergency Response Committee held a regular briefing at 3 p.m. at the KMA headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and announced this. Kim Taek-woo, chair of the KMA Emergency Response Committee, said, "I sincerely apologize for causing concern to our members due to recent internal conflicts within the medical community," and added, "The Emergency Response Committee is an organization established through the resolution of the KMA General Assembly, representing the collective will of the members."

He continued, "The Emergency Response Committee is not an organization operated by the will of a specific individual but reflects decisions made by consulting the entire committee," and added, "Democracy gains its meaning when the procedural legitimacy of actions is secured."

The KMA switched to an emergency response committee system after the government announced its policy to increase medical school admissions in February. The chair of the Emergency Response Committee is Kim Taek-woo, president of the Gangwon Medical Association. Kim’s term ends on the 30th of this month. Lim Hyun-taek will assume office as KMA president on the 1st of next month. After his election at the end of last month, Lim expressed his intention to jointly serve as co-chair of the Emergency Response Committee with Kim, but this was not accepted.

In response, the KMA presidential transition committee sent an official letter yesterday to the Emergency Response Committee and the General Assembly, requesting cooperation to allow Lim Hyun-taek to serve as chair of the Emergency Response Committee.

In the letter, the transition committee stated, "Contrary to intentions, several decisions and external statements contrary to the president-elect’s will have been made during the operation of the Emergency Response Committee, causing severe confusion both internally and externally," and argued, "To resolve this confusion, the diversified channels must be unified under the KMA to reorganize the organization," emphasizing the necessity for Lim Hyun-taek to serve as chair of the Emergency Response Committee.

This is interpreted as criticism of movements within the medical community seeking compromise with the government. Lim Hyun-taek recently said in a media interview, "At this important time, I expected opinions aligned with mine to be expressed, but there were several instances contrary to my intentions," and added, "It is difficult to list them all, but it is absurd that the Emergency Response Committee proposed a 'one-year grace period' regarding the increase in medical school admissions."

Previously, Kim Sung-geun, the KMA Emergency Response Committee’s media spokesperson, appeared on a radio show and suggested, "Let's postpone the increase in medical school admissions by one year and form a committee to thoroughly review it, then follow the conclusion reached by that committee."

Kim Taek-woo expressed regret over Lim Hyun-taek’s actions and stated he will adhere to his term. He said, "Lim Hyun-taek is currently participating in the Emergency Response Committee as a member, so his opinions can be sufficiently reflected. I regret that he is expressing his views through press releases," adding, "A single careless word can divide the medical community and lead to mutual destruction," and drew a clear line by saying, "I will fulfill my duties as chair of the Emergency Response Committee by representing the will of all members until the time given to me."

Meanwhile, the KMA Emergency Response Committee’s planned medical community unification press conference, scheduled for the 11th to 12th, has been postponed. Kim Sung-geun, the KMA Emergency Response Committee’s media spokesperson, responded to reporters’ questions about the joint press conference by saying, "We are in the process of confirming the position of the Korean Intern Resident Association. Coordination is insufficient, so the press conference scheduled for this week will be difficult to hold," and added, "We will try to hold it as soon as possible."

Earlier, Park Dan, a member of the Korean Intern Resident Association Emergency Response Committee, stated on his personal social media that "Although we have been continuously communicating with Kim Taek-woo, chair of the KMA Emergency Response Committee, and Kim Chang-soo, president of the National Association of Medical School Professors (Jeonui-gyo-hyeop), there has been no agreement to hold a joint briefing."