Park Jumin Warns "The Real Medical Crisis Has Not Even Begun Yet"

"Government Must Show a Progressive Attitude"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

As the medical disruption caused by conflicts between doctors and the government continues into its eighth month, Park Jumin, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, warned, "The real medical crisis hasn't even started yet."

On the 28th, Park said on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' "The government is not willing to engage in dialogue with the medical community," adding, "We cannot trust the government's stance on adjusting the medical school quota in 2026."

The government has expressed its intention to reconsider the 2026 medical school quota from scratch. On September 9th, Choo Kyung-ho, the floor leader of the People Power Party, stated, "Adjusting the medical school quota in 2025 is realistically difficult," but "the 2026 quota adjustment can be discussed from the beginning." Park criticized this, saying, "If the 2025 quota is significantly increased and then reset in 2026, what happens to the professors and classrooms already recruited?"

The launch of the bipartisan medical-government consultative body, aimed at resolving the doctor-government conflict, has been delayed as the medical community struggles to unify its stance on participation. In particular, the Korean Intern Resident Association (Daenjeonhyeop), representing residents who are central to the conflict, remains negative about joining the consultative body. Residents insist that the medical school expansion issue must be withdrawn and discussions restarted from scratch before they will participate.

Park explained that the bipartisan consultative body has both short-term and long-term tasks. He said, "The short-term task is to overcome and resolve the current medical crisis, and the long-term task is to ensure an adequate supply of medical personnel." He added, "The government needs to change its attitude for the future, but it is not doing so," and noted, "The Democratic Party is meeting with the medical community to persuade them."

Some voices argue that the real medical crisis has yet to begin. Park said, "After the national audit, I reviewed the reality of local medical care and found that there are still doctors dispatched to areas without public health doctors (Gongbogui) or medical facilities." The number of public health doctors is decreasing, and only one-tenth of those who pass the national medical licensing exam are actually practicing. This means that next year, only about one-tenth of the usual number of doctors will be available. Park said, "In island regions completely lacking medical personnel and infrastructure, there is really no solution."

Although issues such as the decrease in emergency room surgeries and rising patient anxiety continue, the government still insists on "persuading" the medical community. Park emphasized, "When citizens' lives are at stake, the government must show a progressive attitude," adding, "We need to open the possibility that the 2025 quota can also be changed and start dialogue."