Healthcare Workers and Medical Students Unite in Calling for the President's Resignation

President Urged to Sustain Strong Street Protests Powerful Enough to Oust Immediately

Civil society organizations, healthcare workers, and students in the health and medical sector issued a joint statement calling for the impeachment of the president.

The Movement for Universal Healthcare, which includes over 40 organizations such as the Federation of Health and Medical Organizations, People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, released a statement on the 12th demanding, "Impeach Yoon Seok-yeol and immediately arrest, detain, and force him to step down."

Democratic Labor Union Confederation and Emergency Action for Yoon Seok-yeol's Resignation. Yonhap News Agency

Regarding the emergency address announced by President Yoon Seok-yeol that day, these organizations criticized it by saying, "He still insists that his coup is legitimate," and called it "incitement to support him as he declares that the fight will start again." They added, "Let us continue strong street protests powerful enough to immediately remove the president," and said, "Through such struggles, we can also neutralize the ongoing destruction of public healthcare, medical privatization, activation of private insurance, and attacks on the national health insurance policy."

On the same day, The Better Health and Medical Solidarity, a healthcare professional organization, issued a declaration calling for the impeachment of President Yoon Seok-yeol. The solidarity group stated that about 2,000 healthcare professionals from 15 occupations, including doctors, nurses, medical technicians, and pharmacists, signed the declaration.

In their declaration, they raised their voices, saying, "The shocking proclamation that 'all medical personnel who have left the medical field, including residents, will be punished under the Martial Law Act' clearly reveals Yoon Seok-yeol’s true nature of viewing citizens and healthcare workers who do not support the regime as mere targets for punishment." They referred to President Yoon as a "rebel who declared illegal martial law, violating the constitution and the people’s right to health." They also criticized him, saying, "He has reduced the critical task of medical reform to a political tool and has driven the medical field to ruin."

On the same day, about 160 students majoring in health and medical fields such as medicine, nursing, and pharmacy from across the country launched the "Yoon Seok-yeol President Resignation! Health and Medical Youth and Student Group." They explained the reason for their launch, saying, "The martial law declaration is a human rights oppression," and "As healthcare workers responsible for people’s health, we will join the resignation movement."