Resigned Residents Express Desire to Return in September

Expressing Their Intentions to the Seoul Medical Association

A movement hoping for a return in September is being detected among the residents who resigned and have not returned to their training hospitals.

According to the medical community on June 18, it is reported that about 200 residents who wish to return have created a group chat to gather opinions and have conveyed these to the Seoul Medical Association.

A movement hoping for a return in September is detected among the residents who resigned and have not returned to their training hospitals. Yonhap News

The residents stated, "We want to make it known that, contrary to the recent stance of the Korean Intern Resident Association (KIRA), there are many residents who hope to return." They explained, "During the additional recruitment in May, we chose not to return because we hoped that if the administration changed, there would be new dialogue between the government and the medical community, and also because of the announcement by KIRA emergency committee chair Park Dan that it was not yet time to return."

However, they criticized, "Even though a new government has taken office, both the Korean Medical Association (KMA) and KIRA, which should represent our voices, are standing by without sufficiently collecting opinions." They added, "Although the KMA met with the Democratic Party, they have not presented any concrete negotiation proposals and are instead postponing negotiations until after the appointment of ministers and vice ministers, which is at odds with the urgency of the current situation."

They continued, "KIRA did not even attend this meeting," and added, "Many residents are questioning whether the KMA and KIRA are actually willing to resolve the situation, and are concerned that they may again block a return during the recruitment period."

They also stated that if the following measures are implemented?guaranteeing the positions of residents who resigned in February last year, holding the specialist exam in August, revitalizing intern and resident recruitment in September, allowing military enlistment in September, and guaranteeing the positions of residents who resigned for military enlistment?a majority would return.

Hwang Kyuseok, president of the Seoul Medical Association, argued in response, "We must implement a flexible academic policy for medical schools, adjust the training period for residents only for this year, and guarantee solutions to the military enlistment issue, such as continuous training, in order to bring these residents back."