Im Hyuntaek, President of the Korean Medical Association, "Hong Involved in Sexual Crime"
"That's Why No One Follows Him" Harsh Criticism
Im Hyeon-taek, president of the Korea Medical Association (KMA), delivered a direct blow to Hong Jun-pyo, mayor of Daegu, who urged doctors to call off their strike by saying, "Doctors are not individuals or fighters but public officials," stating, "It is astonishing that a person involved in a sexual crime using pig libido enhancer is running as a presidential candidate and serving as a mayor."
On the 4th, Im wrote on his Facebook, "It is astonishing that a person involved in a sexual crime using pig libido enhancer is running as a presidential candidate and serving as a mayor, yet he talks about doctors as public officials and mentions the Hippocratic Oath, even though doctors do not get a single penny of tax cuts."
Lim Hyuntaek, president-elect of the Korean Medical Association, is holding a press conference at the Korean Medical Association in Yongsan-gu, Seoul on March 29. Photo by Kang Jinhyung aymsdream@
This comment refers to a past controversy regarding Mayor Hong's autobiography. In his 2005 autobiography, I Want to Go Back, Hong confessed that during his first year of university, he overlooked the actions of his boarding house roommate who used pig libido enhancer on a female student he had a crush on. He stated, "If I could go back, I would never participate in such a thing," and added, "Although it was done as a joke, I only realized how serious the wrongdoing was after becoming a prosecutor." Since then, whenever attacks related to this passage arose, Mayor Hong actively refuted them and pleaded, "Please forgive me now."
Im also made a sharp remark toward Mayor Hong, saying, "That is why, despite being in politics for decades, he has no followers around him." Im's sharp response was triggered by a post Hong made on Facebook on the 3rd.
In his Facebook post, Mayor Hong stated, "While 80% of the public supports increasing medical school admissions, only doctors persistently oppose the increase and even refuse to enter the public debate, which is inconsistent with the Hippocratic Oath taken when becoming a doctor." He pointed out, "Doctors are not individuals or fighters but public officials. Striking while holding the lives of the people hostage is an excessive act no matter how you think about it." He added, "Return to the public debate, and let us resolve this medical crisis through frank dialogue and compromise," and "I repeatedly ask you to stand before the public with reverence, as befits a profession that deals with life."
Meanwhile, if the government finalizes the increase in medical school admissions, medical professors nationwide have decided to begin a nationwide work stoppage (suspension of outpatient care and non-emergency surgeries) on the 10th. The National Medical School Professors Emergency Response Committee (hereafter 'Jeon-ui-bi') held its 10th general meeting on the afternoon of the 3rd and stated, "If the government proceeds with the medical school admission increase procedure and finalizes the quota for 2025, we discussed various actions including a one-week collective work stoppage," adding, "A nationwide work stoppage is scheduled for the 10th, and thereafter, depending on each university's situation, we plan to have one day off per week through on-call duty followed by work stoppage and rescheduling of medical services." They further said, "We will continue to establish strategies to respond to the government's flawed medical policies and take necessary measures."
About 51 hospitals affiliated with 19 medical schools nationwide are expected to participate in the work stoppage scheduled for the 10th. Currently, Jeon-ui-bi includes 19 medical schools: Wonkwang University, Ulsan University, Inje University, Daegu Catholic University, Seoul National University, Gyeongsang National University, Hanyang University, Yonsei University, Kangwon National University, Keimyung University, Konyang University, Pusan National University, Konkuk University, Jeju National University, Ewha Womans University, Korea University Anam Campus, Korea University Guro Campus, Chonnam National University, Eulji University, and Catholic University.
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