"Medical Association United as One
Unified Demand is 'Reconsideration of Medical School Expansion from the Beginning'"
The Korean Medical Association (KMA), which had been experiencing internal strife due to differences in stance on blocking the government's plan to increase medical school admissions, has reconciled its conflicts and presented a unified proposal to reconsider the government's medical school expansion policy from the ground up.
The KMA Emergency Response Committee (ERC) stated at a briefing following their meeting on the 14th at the KMA headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, "We emphasize once again that the unified demand of the medical community is a fundamental reconsideration of the increase in medical school quotas."
Kim Seong-geun, the ERC's media and public relations officer, said, "We request the suspension of the Ministry of Education's current system for allocating increased medical school quotas," adding, "As long as this system continues, it is difficult to accept the government's intention to proceed with discussions with the medical community."
Kim also requested the cancellation of administrative orders issued to residents and KMA executives.
He said, "Please cancel the unfair administrative orders such as the work commencement orders for residents," and added, "The medical licenses of ERC Chairman Kim Taek-woo and Organization Committee Chairman Park Myeong-ha will be suspended for three months starting from the 15th. We also request the cancellation of these license suspension administrative orders."
He further criticized, "Currently, the government is trying to support hospital treatment forms by expanding medical support personnel, but this is a loophole," and said, "Such support cannot normalize hospital management nor provide proper treatment to patients in hospitals."
The conflict between ERC Chairman Kim Taek-woo and the next KMA president-elect Im Hyeon-taek also appears to have been resolved. During the briefing, they embraced and shook hands, dispelling signs of internal division within the KMA.
Chairman Kim Taek-woo said, "Currently, the KMA is united as one," and added, "The president-elect, the Korean Intern Resident Association (KIRA) chairman, the Korean Association of Medical School Professors, the KMA, and all medical sectors are collectively working hard to withdraw the government's flawed policy and proceed with a series of processes for reconsideration."
He also said, "We cautiously expect the government to humbly accept the results of the general election and hope that these points will be reflected in the president's address," emphasizing, "When the government neglects its duty to protect the lives of the people, the greatest victims are the citizens."
President-elect Im Hyeon-taek also said, "Today, we reached an agreement that 'all 140,000 doctors are now one,' and we decided to unite our efforts toward a single goal."
Regarding the post by Park Dan, the Emergency Response Committee chairman of the Korean Intern Resident Association (KIRA), who criticized medical school professors as "middle managers in the exploitation chain of residents" and pointed out issues with training hospitals, it was dismissed as a "happening."
Kim explained, "Different voices can arise from various professional groups and should be listened to," adding, "It was conveyed that there was no particular intention to criticize professors or hospitals."
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