Minister Jung Eun-kyung: "Serious" Public Health Alert Lifted
Central Disaster Headquarters Disbanded, Telemedicine and Other Measures to Be Institutionalized
The "serious" level of the public health disaster crisis alert, which was issued following the mass resignation of medical residents last year, and the resulting emergency medical system, will be lifted. Officially, the "medical crisis" triggered by conflicts between the government and medical professionals is coming to an end after one year and eight months.
Jung Eun-kyung, Minister of Health and Welfare, attended the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting on doctors' collective action at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul on October 1st, and made remarks regarding the medical system during the Chuseok holiday. 2025.10.1 Photo by Jo Yongjun
On October 17, Jung Eun-kyung, Minister of Health and Welfare, held a Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting on doctors' collective action at the Government Seoul Office and stated, "Since the return of the medical residents, the medical system has been operating relatively stably," adding, "The serious alert level will be lifted as of 00:00 on the 20th."
Previously, in February last year, after medical residents collectively resigned in protest against the increase in medical school admissions, the Ministry of Health and Welfare raised the public health disaster alert to the highest "serious" level for the first time ever on February 23, and implemented an emergency medical system in response.
Minister Jung explained, "After the launch of the new administration, we resumed communication and cooperation with the medical community, and a significant number of residents have returned." She added that the volume of medical services has recovered to 95% of pre-emergency levels, and emergency medical capacity has almost fully recovered.
With the lifting of the emergency medical system, measures such as support payments and temporary fee adjustments that were implemented to maintain emergency care will end, while some measures will become permanent.
Minister Jung also stated, "We will work to institutionalize measures such as Physician Assistant (PA) nurses, telemedicine, and hospitalist specialists, which have been evaluated as contributing to the efficient use of resources."
She further expressed, "I offer comfort and apologies to patients and their families who experienced inconvenience in the medical field over the past year and eight months due to conflicts between the government and the medical community. I also thank the medical staff, 119 paramedics, and other public officials who have protected lives at patients' sides under difficult circumstances."
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