New President of the Korean Medical Association: 'Hardliner and Pro-Residents' Kim Taek-woo, Chairman of the National Council of City and Provincial Medical Associations

60.38% Vote in Runoff
Expectations for Intensified Hardline Struggle Against Government

Kim Taek-woo, chairman of the National Association of Metropolitan and Provincial Medical Associations, was elected as the new president of the Korean Medical Association (KMA).

Kim Taek-woo, president of the National Association of Metropolitan and Provincial Medical Associations, who was elected as the 43rd president of the Korean Medical Association, is taking a commemorative photo holding the certificate of election with Ko Kwang-song, chairman of the KMA Central Election Commission, at the Korean Medical Association building in Yongsan-gu, Seoul on the afternoon of the 8th. Photo by Yonhap News

The KMA announced on the 8th that Kim's election was confirmed in the runoff vote of the 43rd KMA presidential by-election, which was conducted via electronic voting from the previous day until 6 p.m. on the 8th.

Kim assumed office immediately upon election and will lead the KMA until April 30, 2027, completing the remaining term of impeached former president Lim Hyun-taek. In the runoff vote, Kim received 17,007 votes (60.38%) out of a total of 28,167 valid votes. His competitor, Joo Soo-ho, representative of the Future Medical Forum, received 11,160 votes (39.62%).

Previously, in the first round of voting held from the 2nd to the 4th, which included five candidates including the two finalists, Kim Taek-woo ranked first with 8,103 votes (27.66%) out of 22,295 votes, while Joo Soo-ho ranked second with 7,666 votes (26.17%).

Kim is a surgical specialist who graduated from Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine. After the resignation of the executive team led by former KMA president Lee Pil-soo in February last year, he served as the chairman of the Emergency Committee to Block Medical School Expansion. Next month, he was suspended from medical practice for three months on charges of instigating collective action by residents. In 2021, he also served as chairman of the KMA Emergency Committee to Block the Nursing Act. Recently, he served as chairman of the Gangwon Medical Association and the National Association of Metropolitan and Provincial Medical Associations, which comprises 16 regional medical associations nationwide.

His key campaign promises include ▲expanding residents' participation in association affairs and granting associate membership status to medical students ▲strengthening support for residents who resign and medical students on leave ▲amending the law (Special Act on Residents) to improve training environments and status of residents ▲normalizing essential medical care and clinical environments through fee improvements ▲securing independence and strengthening support for the Ministry of Health and Welfare's 'Training Environment Evaluation Committee,' a policy review body for residents, and the 'Korea Institute of Medical Education and Evaluation,' which evaluates and accredits the quality of medical education.

With Kim's election, the medical community is expected to intensify its tough stance against the government. At the time of his candidacy, he referred to the expansion of medical schools as 'medical manipulation' and insisted that all medical policies currently being pursued by the government should be halted.

Immediately after the first round of vote counting, he also stated, "I earnestly ask the government to temporarily suspend the second phase of the ongoing medical reform," adding, "Since the president is absent, it is appropriate to temporarily suspend all policies that the president had been promoting."

Kim is regarded as having relatively strong ties with residents who have resigned. In this election, he received public support from Park Dan, chairman of the Korean Intern and Resident Association (KIRA) Emergency Committee. His son was also a member of the KIRA Emergency Committee who resigned last year while working as a resident.