"Ruling and Opposition Parties' Consultative Body Mentioned as an Idea"
Presidential Office Avoids Direct Response to Han Dong-hoon's Private Meeting Request
As the relationship between President Yoon Seok-yeol and People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon shows little sign of recovery amid the medical crisis, the Democratic Party of Korea has begun to apply pressure by mentioning a 'consultative body among the ruling and opposition parties and medical professionals.' The Democratic Party plans to launch a full-scale attack on the government and ruling party centered on the medical crisis if no concrete results come out of the dinner between President Yoon and Leader Han.
Park Ju-min, chairman of the Democratic Party's Medical Crisis Countermeasures Special Committee, is moving to hold a meeting with Im Hyun-taek, president of the Korea Medical Association (KMA), and others at the National Assembly on the afternoon of the 22nd. [Image source=Yonhap News]
On the 23rd, the Democratic Party's Medical Crisis Special Committee held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office in Yeouido, Seoul, regarding the dinner between President Yoon and Leader Han. President Yoon and the leadership of the People Power Party agreed to hold a dinner-style meeting the following day. The Special Committee stated, "The public's expectations for the meeting between President Yoon and Leader Han are very high," and added, "We sincerely hope that it will not be just a meal and photo opportunity but a chance to create even a small clue to resolve the medical crisis."
The Democratic Party acknowledged that a consultative body among the ruling and opposition parties and medical professionals, excluding the government, was mentioned during a private meeting between Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung and Korean Medical Association chairman Lim Hyun-taek the previous day, but responded cautiously. Park Joo-min, chair of the Medical Crisis Special Committee, said after the press conference, "As frustrations were expressed during the meeting, various ideas came up," and "Since there has been no change in the government's attitude, the consultative body among the ruling and opposition parties and medical professionals was mentioned as an idea." However, he added, "No official proposal was made," and did not disclose the medical community's response to the consultative body.
Ahead of the dinner between President Yoon and Leader Han the next day, the Democratic Party appears to be emphasizing conflicts between the government and ruling party centered on the medical crisis. The Democratic Party views the dinner as a 'turning point' for resolving the medical crisis. Chair Park said, "If it becomes clear at the dinner the next day that discussions on increasing medical school admissions in 2025 will be difficult, we will have to consider other options," and "We have been continuously saying that a consultative body among the ruling and opposition parties and medical professionals can be formed only if there is flexibility with the ruling party leadership, but if the dinner ends empty-handed, the People Power Party must take responsibility." Leader Lee also said after the meeting the previous day, "The government and ruling party should be the most urgent parties in this situation, but it seems the public has become the most desperate," and pointed out, "The Korean Medical Association also has the will to resolve the issue, so I hope the government will take a more open approach."
Handonghun, the leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 23rd. Photo by Kim Hyunmin kimhyun81@
Before the dinner, Leader Han requested a private meeting with President Yoon. It is interpreted that he proposed a private meeting with the president to strengthen the consultative body among the ruling and opposition parties and medical professionals that he suggested, while also showing his presence as the ruling party leader. Han Ji-a, chief spokesperson for the People Power Party, told reporters the previous day, "The president and the party leader will have a private meeting where they can frankly discuss various political issues," and added, "There are many political issues such as the consultative body among the ruling and opposition parties and medical professionals, but there will be no agenda restrictions in the private meeting."
However, the presidential office is avoiding giving a direct answer to Leader Han's request for a private meeting. It still appears that there is a clear difference in stance between Yongsan and Leader Han. Leader Han wants to keep all issues open, including the 2025 medical school admission increase, and engage in dialogue with the medical community, but the presidential office's position is that since the rolling application period has already ended, discussions can only begin from the 2026 medical school admission increase. The presidential office may also have felt displeased with Leader Han's request for a private meeting this time. The dinner between President Yoon and the People Power Party leadership, originally scheduled for August 30, was postponed until after the Chuseok holiday when Leader Han proposed a suspension of the 2026 medical school admission increase.
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