Minister Cho Kyu-hong: "Over 800 Million Won Budget Allocated to Ensure No Suspension of Severe Trauma Training Centers"

Expansion of Trauma Specialist Training Support to 17 Institutions
Second Phase of 'Medical Reform Implementation Plan' to Be Announced Soon
Strict Response to Obstruction of Medical Student Return and Information Leaks

The government announced that it will invest a budget of over 800 million KRW to prevent the suspension of operations at the trauma specialist training center and support the development of specialized personnel. While urging medical students to return to their studies, it also plans to take strict measures against illegal activities that hinder the return of other medical students.

Health and Welfare Minister Cho Kyu-hong is speaking at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting on doctors' collective action held at the Situation Room of the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 14th. 2025.3.14 Photo by Jo Yong-jun

On the 14th, Cho Kyu-hong, Minister of Health and Welfare, stated at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting regarding the doctors' collective action, "In February, there were reports about the budget shortage issue at the trauma specialist training center of Korea University Guro Hospital," adding, "We have secured a budget of 868 million KRW to support the training of trauma specialists, so there will be no suspension of the trauma specialist training center due to budget shortages."

The 'Severe Trauma Specialist Training Center' at Korea University Guro Hospital, which has been nurturing severe trauma specialists, was recently at risk of closure due to the suspension of government funding. This came 11 years after the center was established, having been selected in 2014 as the first Seoul-area trauma specialist intensive training hospital designated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Trauma specialists are doctors who have chosen trauma surgery as a sub-specialty after becoming specialists in one of four fields: surgery, thoracic surgery, orthopedic surgery, and neurosurgery, and then undergo an additional two years of training to obtain sub-specialist qualifications.

Minister Cho explained, "The government will do its best to ensure that the trauma specialist training project operates without disruption," and added, "The eligibility for training specialists will be expanded from the existing four surgical fields to include two additional departments: emergency medicine and anesthesiology and pain medicine, making a total of six fields supported."

The government also urged medical students to return to classes, noting that the number of medical school admissions for the 2026 academic year has been set back to the previous scale of 3,058 students. Minister Cho said, "We hope medical students will return to campus," and requested, "Parents and senior medical professionals should also encourage their return." He further stated, "There have been reports of illegal acts obstructing the return of some medical students, and the government plans to take strict action against such illegal activities."

Minister Cho also addressed concerns, saying, "Some may worry that the recent decision regarding medical school admissions means a setback in medical reform," but emphasized, "However, we will steadfastly pursue reforms to overcome the accumulated crisis in regional and essential medical care over the past several decades."

He continued, "Although we are steadily implementing the first phase of the medical reform plan announced last year, structural problems such as inefficient delivery systems, issues with non-reimbursed and actual expense insurance, and reliance on litigation to resolve medical malpractice disputes still remain," and explained, "Therefore, the government will soon announce the second phase of the medical reform plan, which includes fostering regional secondary hospitals, reforming non-reimbursed and actual expense insurance, and strengthening the medical accident safety net."

Minister Cho urged, "The medical community should actively participate in discussions of the medical reform special committee, and if immediate participation is difficult, we hope to hear candid opinions from the field separately," but also stressed, "Illegal acts such as the dissemination of personal information of government officials or their families beyond legitimate criticism only deepen conflicts, so illegal activities will be dealt with firmly."