Gwangju Medical Association Welcomes Return of Medical Students to Educational Sites

The Gwangju Medical Association stated on July 14, "We welcome the decision of medical students to return to their educational sites."

On this day, the Gwangju Medical Association issued a press release, saying, "Medical students who had left their classrooms in protest against the unilateral and unscientific expansion of medical school admissions and the medical malpractice orchestrated by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration have declared their return to the medical education field in July." The association continued, "The medical community, which has endured significant turmoil and pain over the past year and a half, including medical malpractice and the impeachment of the President who pushed for it, has regretfully accepted the reality that many medical students were forced to halt their studies and leave school during this period."

The association stated, "We hope that, under the joint responsibility of the government, the National Assembly, and the medical community, we can resolve the crisis caused by the previous administration and restore the Korean medical system and regional healthcare, which are now on the brink." It emphasized, "The return of medical students is not simply a resumption of studies, but an important turning point for our society to recover a healthy medical environment and to once again join forces in nurturing future medical talent."

The association added, "Now is the time to end conflict and make practical efforts to restore normal medical education and high-quality medical care," and continued, "We will respond to the new administration's demonstrated will to restore the medical system."

Meanwhile, the previous day, the Korean Medical Students Association (KMSA), a group representing medical students, announced their decision to return to school in a statement issued together with the National Assembly's standing committee and the Korean Medical Association.