Ahn Cheol-soo: "Resolve Life-and-Death Issues First... Must Apologize for 'Resident Doctor Punishment' Proclamation"

"Yoon Government's Medical Reform, a Complete Failure"
"Major Opposition Should Not Be Only Competent at Impeachment"
"Discussion on Next Year's Medical School Expansion Must Come First"

Ahn Cheol-soo, a doctor-turned-politician and member of the People Power Party, criticized the issue of medical reform and emphasized that the ruling and opposition parties should quickly reach an agreement to resolve the situation.

People Power Party lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo is giving a greeting speech at the National Doctors' Representatives Conference held at the Medical Association Hall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 22nd. Photo by Yonhap News

On the 22nd, Ahn said on his social media account, "The Yoon Seok-yeol administration's 'medical reform' has miserably failed. Endless trips to the emergency room are the norm," adding, "The number of excess deaths, meaning those who would not have died if this had not happened, has long exceeded 2,000." He continued, "Essential medical care and regional healthcare have deteriorated further to a point where recovery is difficult, and the production of new doctors and specialists has been halted since next year," adding, "Accordingly, the supply of interns, public health doctors, and military doctors has also stopped. Although several trillion won of national budget was advanced, it seems difficult to prevent the collapse of the medical system, let alone achieve medical reform."

He explained, "Earlier this year, a senior official from the presidential office said about the scale of medical school expansion, 'The number 2,000 is not something I can touch.' Especially, the chilling phrase 'punishment of residents' in the emergency martial law proclamation shows that President Yoon's medical policy was distorted from the start by prejudice and hatred." He then stated, "Now that the president's duties are suspended, the most flawed medical policies must be corrected first. Even now, the acting president, the ruling and opposition parties, and the medical community must put their heads together," adding, "We must solve the issue of life and death, which is more important than livelihood. The major opposition party should not be competent only in impeachment, shielding, and ruinous political strife."

Ahn said, "The government, ruling and opposition parties, and the medical community should form an emergency consultative body to discuss the issue of medical school expansion starting next year. In particular, we need to find a way for students to receive normal medical education from next year and qualify to take the medical licensing exam after graduation," adding, "Only by enabling medical students and residents to return can the medical system be restored." He also said, "A consultative body among the ruling and opposition parties, the medical community, and the government should be reestablished for mid- to long-term medical reform," continuing, "We must put our heads together on mid- to long-term plans to strengthen regional and essential medical care, train physician-scientists, and determine a reasonable scale of medical school expansion." Furthermore, he emphasized, "The acting president should apologize for the 'punishment of residents' proclamation," adding, "The unconstitutional and illegal proclamation caused not only residents and the medical community but also the public to feel insulted. An official apology from the government is necessary to resume dialogue with the medical community." Finally, he added, "If the medical system collapses due to missed timing, it could take decades to restore. The acting president and the ruling and opposition parties must urgently take action with a desperate resolve."