President Lee Meets Medical Staff: "You Endured Much Hardship During the 2-3 Year Medical Crisis"

President Lee Jae-myung is moving to the conference room at the National Medical Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, ahead of the Chuseok holiday on the 29th. Photo by Yonhap News

President Lee Jae-myung visited an emergency medical site on the 29th ahead of the Chuseok holiday. Meeting with medical staff, President Lee said, "Over the past two to three years, during what could be called a medical crisis, you have all endured significant mental and physical hardship."

During a roundtable discussion with frontline medical staff held at the National Medical Center that day, President Lee offered words of comfort, saying, "Public trust in our country's healthcare is very high, and your role is extremely important."

President Lee continued, "It seems that the issue is not yet fully resolved, but I am relieved to see that many things are returning to normal. I am not entirely sure about the phenomenon of 'emergency room shopping,' but based on my own experience, it seems to have improved somewhat, as complaints and reports have noticeably decreased."

He went on to say, "South Korea is a country where the proportion of public healthcare is very low by various standards, such as the number of hospital beds. On the other hand, our healthcare coverage system is considered the best in the world, so the benefits felt by the public are considerable. It is reasonable to say that, even in difficult circumstances, the high level of healthcare coverage for our people is based on the dedication and sacrifice of medical professionals."

During the closed-door portion of the roundtable, participants discussed ways to address the issue of emergency patients being denied admission and the challenges faced by medical professionals. According to spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung, Seo Gil-jun, president of the National Medical Center, mentioned strengthening the network for critical and essential medical care, enhancing the regional emergency medical situation room, reinforcing the allocation and acceptance system for emergency medical resources using artificial intelligence, and establishing a management system for emergency patients who are denied admission. Medical professionals expressed difficulties in recruiting new staff due to workforce shortages and pay disparities.

In response, President Lee inquired about the losses incurred by public hospitals during COVID-19, the scale of government support, and possible solutions, instructing the Minister of Health and Welfare to prepare alternatives.

Meanwhile, before the roundtable, President Lee toured the hospital's isolation ward, asked about the current status of COVID-19 patients, and spoke with on-site staff.