Korean Medicine Association: "Come to Us on the Doctors' Strike Day"

Korean Medicine Association Recommends Nighttime Clinic Hours on Doctors' Strike Days
Over 700 Korean Medicine Clinics Participate in Nighttime Care
Conflict with Medical Association Intensifies... "Minimizing Medical Gaps Through Korean Medicine Doctors"

As the Korean Medical Association (KMA), university hospitals, and some private practitioners have announced a collective strike, the Korean Medicine Association (KMA) has decided to recommend its members to provide night-time medical services in alignment with the doctors' strike days.

On the 13th, the Korean Medicine Association stated, "To minimize public inconvenience in preparation for the total strike by Western medical practitioners, we will promote night-time medical services at Korean medicine clinics and Korean medicine hospitals nationwide on the 18th, the day of the collective strike at university hospitals." According to the Korean Medicine Association, about 700 Korean medical institutions had confirmed participation in night-time services by that morning.

The Korean Medicine Association said, "Participating medical institutions will provide primary care for common diseases such as colds and indigestion, and in case of emergency patients, efficient coordination and treatment will also be carried out." They added, "Among the common outpatient diseases treated by Western medicine, except for diabetes and hypertension, musculoskeletal disorders, allergic rhinitis, various respiratory infections, and digestive-related diseases can be sufficiently treated at Korean medicine clinics. Medical gaps in primary care can be minimized through Korean medicine clinics."

The association also urged the government to revise systems to allow Korean medicine doctors to be deployed in primary care. The Korean Medicine Association pointed out, "In preparation for possible future collective actions such as strikes by Western medical practitioners, the government needs to revise systems so that Korean medicine clinics can play a more central role in primary care."

Meanwhile, the Korean Medicine Association and the Korean Medical Association have been in conflict, exchanging criticisms over medical-related issues. In April, Yoon Seong-chan, the 45th president of the Korean Medicine Association, stated in his inauguration speech, "The current reality where the entire nation only watches the Western doctors' moves shows problems in the Western medicine-centered healthcare system," advocating for the free use of diagnostic devices by Korean medicine doctors and the expansion of their role in primary care. In response, Lim Hyun-taek, president of the Korean Medical Association, criticized the Korean Medicine Association in the same month, saying, "Please provide detailed countermeasures from the Korean Medicine Association to resolve medical gaps and a specific list of Korean medicine clinics, Korean medicine hospitals, and affiliated hospitals of Korean medicine colleges capable of admitting emergency, critical, and surgical patients," and announced that he sent a protest letter to the Korean Medicine Association.