Medical Association President Requests Public to Step Up to Resolve Medical Crisis

"No Reason to Rush the Increase of Medical School Admissions"

Im Hyeon-taek, president of the Korea Medical Association (KMA), appealed to the public to help resolve the medical crisis.

President, government, and National Assembly are urged to resolve the current medical vacuum crisis as Im Hyun-taek, president of the Korean Medical Association, who had been fasting for six days, was transported to a nearby hospital due to health deterioration on the evening of the 31st at the Korean Medical Association protest site. [Image source=Korean Medical Association] [Image source=Yonhap News]

President Im made this statement on the 2nd through a "Public Appeal for Medical Normalization." Earlier, he began a hunger strike on the 26th of last month, urging the resolution of the medical vacuum crisis. On the evening of the 31st, while still on the hunger strike, he was transported by ambulance to a hospital due to deteriorating health.

He said, "With the government's shocking recognition of the medical situation confirmed in the President's national briefing, the collapse of our country's medical system is inevitable," adding, "Despite countless appeals from the medical community, the government has thoroughly ignored and trampled on them, resulting in our society now being in a precarious situation."

He continued, "While there are issues to improve in our country's medical system, maintaining the current excellence should be the foundation. The government recklessly damages Korea's good medical care and unilaterally pushes forward medical reforms, causing the medical crisis that the public is experiencing now, which did not exist before February," urging the public to take action to resolve the situation.

President Im expressed concern, saying, "If the planned increase in 2025 proceeds as scheduled, medical schools will have to educate about 7,700 students, including those who took a leave of absence this year, making it impossible to avoid the collapse of medical education," and added, "The chaos will be enormous next year as 3,000 doctors and 3,000 specialists will not be produced."

He further stated, "There is absolutely no reason to hastily push forward a medical crisis that will affect decades-long issues," and earnestly requested, "I sincerely ask the public to demand that the government stop its reckless policies for now and discuss medical system improvements for the people with the medical community."