Government and Medical Community Seek Solutions Through Ongoing Dialogue
Ministry of Health and Welfare to Hold Official Introductory Meeting with Medical Organizations on July 8
On July 7, his first day in office, Prime Minister Kim Minseok met with representatives from the medical community, including resident doctors, medical students, and officials from the Korean Medical Association (KMA), to listen to their opinions on current medical issues. As President Lee Jaemyung has actively instructed Prime Minister Kim to resolve conflicts between the government and the medical community, the atmosphere suggests that dialogue between the two sides is now gaining momentum.
The Prime Minister’s Office announced that evening, “Prime Minister Kim held a meeting to listen to pressing medical issues at the request of the medical community.” The meeting was held privately from 7 p.m. for about one and a half hours. Attendees included KMA President Kim Taekwoo, Han Sungjon, Emergency Committee Chair of the Korean Intern Resident Association (KIRA), and Lee Sunwoo, Emergency Committee Chair of the Korean Medical Student Association (KMSA).
Following the meeting, the KMA stated that “in-depth discussions were held on medical issues,” but neither side disclosed specific details of the conversation.
This meeting marks the first high-level dialogue since the launch of the new government, occurring more than a year and five months after the medical-government conflict began with the expansion of medical school admissions in February of last year. Earlier that day, Prime Minister Kim had reported to President Lee Jaemyung during their regular meeting that he planned to meet with stakeholders regarding the return of resident doctors, to which President Lee requested, “Please take active steps to resolve the issue.”
The medical community is also showing a positive attitude toward resuming dialogue. Han Sungjon, KIRA Chair, said in a radio interview that morning, “We are ready to meet at any time with anyone who has a sense of responsibility and a genuine will to resolve the situation.” The KMA also recently welcomed the nomination of Jeong Eun-kyung as Minister of Health and Welfare, stating, “We will actively work to restore trust and build a cooperative relationship with the government.”
Following the meeting between the Prime Minister and the medical community, on July 8, Lee Hyunghoon, the Second Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, will hold a closed introductory meeting with major health and medical organizations.
Meanwhile, on the same day, KIRA released the results of a survey asking resident doctors nationwide about the conditions for resuming their training. Of the 8,458 respondents, 76.4% cited “a review of the Yoon Sukyeol administration’s essential medical policy package and medical reform implementation plan” as the minimum condition for their return.
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