Ruling, Opposition, and Government Council to Discuss Measures for Resignation Residents' Return and Autonomy Guarantee of UIPS

Operation until the end of December, meaningful results expected
Korea "Agreement of the consultative body is policy"
Medical community "Hoping to see genuine willingness to resolve"

The 'Ruling and Opposition Parties and Government Consultative Body' aimed at resolving legislative conflicts held its first meeting on the 11th and decided to begin discussions on the medical community's demands, including the return of resigned residents and ensuring the autonomy of the Korea Institute of Medical Education and Evaluation (KIMEE). The consultative body set its operational period until the end of December, with the goal of producing meaningful results before the 23rd of next month.

Handonghun, leader of the People Power Party, Han Deok-su, Prime Minister, and Lee Jin-woo, president of the Korean Medical Association, are taking a commemorative photo at the first meeting of the 'Ruling and Opposition Parliamentary Council' held at the National Assembly on the 11th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

Kim Seong-won, the ruling party representative of the consultative body and a member of the People Power Party, told reporters after the meeting, "We conveyed to the government the medical community's concerns and requests regarding the situation where resigned residents might be accepted in the first half of next year's residency recruitment but enlist in the military in March." He added, "The government agreed to seriously discuss various ways to support the return of resigned residents within the consultative body."

Kim also said, "The consultative body will operate with a deadline until the end of December," and added, "We will make our best efforts to produce meaningful results by December 22 or 23 at the latest." The consultative body plans to continue in-depth discussions with a sense of urgency through weekly plenary meetings and subcommittee meetings involving working-level officials.

At the first meeting, while confirming differences in positions, the parties agreed to actively cooperate to resolve the issues. Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People Power Party, said in his opening remarks, "The agreement of our consultative body will soon become policy," adding, "Although late, this is a meaningful start. The Korean Medical Association and the Korean Association of Medical Colleges (KAMC), which are responsible for the training and education of residents and medical students, will serve as a focal point to gather demands from the medical community, communicate, and resolve issues through the consultative body." Prime Minister Han Duck-soo also explained, "Medical reform is not simply about increasing the number of doctors," and added, "Medical reform is a comprehensive measure to change the structure and paradigm of our healthcare system, aiming to protect the public and create a sustainable, high-quality medical system, reflecting the government's determination." The medical community showed somewhat sharp stances. Lee Jin-woo, president of the Korean Medical Association, said, "If the government and ruling party do not show a sincere attitude, the conflict will never be resolved," and added, "This time, I hope the government and ruling party will show a sense of crisis and genuine willingness to resolve the issue."

Meanwhile, the opposition party did not attend this meeting. The Democratic Party of Korea is reluctant to participate in the consultative body because the resident group, the Korean Intern Resident Association, is not participating. Therefore, it seems that the 'Ruling Party and Government Consultative Body' format will be maintained for the time being.

On the ruling party side, Representative Han and Kim Sang-hoon, chairman of the Policy Committee, attended. From the government side, Prime Minister Han, Lee Ju-ho, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, Cho Kyu-hong, Minister of Health and Welfare, Bang Ki-seon, Director of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, and Sung Tae-yoon, Policy Chief of the Presidential Office, were present. This is interpreted as an intention to involve high-level officials with policymaking authority in the consultative body to listen to the medical community's opinions and enable swift decision-making. From the medical community, President Lee of the Korean Medical Association and Lee Jong-tae, chairman of KAMC, attended.