Kang Seon-woo and Kim Yoon's 'Healthcare Workforce Support Act'
Medical Associations "Legal System Issues... Further Discussion Needed"
Democratic Party Holds Public Forum with Education and Welfare Ministries
The Democratic Party of Korea is exploring various strategies to resolve the 'medical crisis' triggered by conflicts related to the increase in medical school admissions. The party has decided to hold a 'public forum' attended by government ministries and other relevant parties after meeting with medical associations. They are also pushing for a bill to adjust the admissions quota for the 2026 academic year, but the medical community's reluctance suggests that passing the bill will not be easy.
On the afternoon of the 19th, Park Jumin, Chair of the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee from the Democratic Party, and Kim Youngho, Chair of the Education Committee, met with Park Hyungwook, Emergency Response Committee Chair of the Korea Medical Association (KMA), and Park Dan, Emergency Response Committee Chair of the Korean Intern Resident Association (KIRA). They held a closed-door meeting for 1 hour and 20 minutes discussing difficulties in medical education caused by the increase in medical school admissions. As a result, they reached a consensus to invite the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health and Welfare, as well as deans and professors from medical schools and representatives from the National Assembly, to hold a forum. Through this forum, they hope to thoroughly convey the hardships faced in the medical field and prompt a change in the government's 'hardline' stance.
However, unlike the medical associations' position that the issue of medical school admissions for the 2025 academic year should be discussed first, some within the Democratic Party argue that it is important to reach a reasonable estimate for the 2026 admissions quota. This judgment is based on the reality that negotiations about admissions two years ahead are more practical given that the regular admissions period is imminent. Reflecting this view, the 'Healthcare Workforce Support Act' was separately proposed by Kang Seonwoo and Kim Yoon, members of the Health and Welfare Committee. This law stipulates that the admissions quota for the 2026 medical school year can be adjusted after review by a separate committee.
As the Democratic Party shows its intention to pass the Healthcare Workforce Support Act as early as this month, medical associations are feeling uneasy. The bill involves many contentious issues, not only concerning medical school admissions but also defining the scope of work for other healthcare professionals. A KMA official told reporters, "From a legal system perspective, a 'support act' is not meant to discuss matters like task assignments. These should be resolved under the Medical Service Act. Further discussion is needed."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
