Medical Professors Council Welcomes Health and Education Minister Nominees, Urges Consultation with Medical Community

"We Will Stay Committed to Dialogue Until the End"

The National Council of Medical School Professors (Medical Professors Council) stated, "We sincerely welcome and express our expectations regarding the nominations for the Minister of Health and Welfare and the Minister of Education, as well as the appointment of the Second Vice Minister of Health and Welfare."

On July 1, the Medical Professors Council issued a statement saying, "The previous administration unilaterally pushed forward with policies such as increasing the medical school quota and healthcare reform without communicating with experts, causing anxiety and inconvenience to the public." The Council added, "It is now time to learn from the mistakes of the previous administration and resolve issues within a framework of communication and consultation."

Referring to the '9·4 Medical-Government Agreement,' the Council also urged, "The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health and Welfare must consult with the medical community with mutual trust and a spirit of coexistence." The 9·4 Medical-Government Agreement is an official agreement reached in 2020 between the government and the Korean Medical Association (KMA) during a collective action by the medical community. The core of the agreement is that the government will not unilaterally pursue policies such as increasing the medical school quota.

The Council further stated, "The Medical Professors Council will remain committed to responsible cooperation and sincere dialogue for the future of public health and medical education."

The Korean Nurses Association (KNA) also issued a statement on the same day, expressing expectations for Jeong Eun-kyeong, the nominee for Minister of Health and Welfare, saying, "We expect that, based on her extensive field experience and policy implementation capabilities, she will lead health and welfare policies that the public can truly feel."

The KNA also called for cooperation among all healthcare professionals. The association emphasized, "We expect that nominee Jeong will take the lead in fostering a culture of coexistence and cooperation, rather than conflict among professional groups, and in maximizing the integrated capabilities of all healthcare professionals."

Previously, on June 29, President Lee Jaemyung nominated Jeong Eun-kyeong, former Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, as Minister of Health and Welfare, and Lee Jinsook, former President of Chungnam National University, as Minister of Education. Lee Hyunghoon, President of the Korea Public Tissue Bank, was appointed as the Second Vice Minister of Health and Welfare.