Describing Government Acceptance as "Meaningful Progress"
Emphasizing Implementation Over Declarations... Calling for a Practical One-on-One Consultative Body
The Korean Medical Association has described the government's willingness to accept the proposal to form a medical-government consultative body as "meaningful progress," stating its intention to take the lead in the consultative body and drive substantial policy changes.
On February 27, the association emphasized in a statement that this decision is a positive development, as it confirms the need for regular meetings between the government and the medical community to directly discuss key healthcare issues. In particular, it noted that amid growing concerns about the overall national healthcare system and increasing mistrust of government policies following the plan to increase medical school admissions, the consultative body should serve as a starting point to address these issues.
The association stressed, "The medical-government consultative body should not be a mere formal channel for managing conflicts, but a responsible framework for jointly designing and resolving problems within the healthcare system." It added, "We will not stop at declarative discussions but will follow through until the government's promises are fully implemented as policies and institutional measures."
The association also pointed out that the previous structure, in which multiple committees operated sporadically, should not be repeated. It explained that a practical consultative framework is needed, in which the government and the association participate directly on a one-to-one basis to discuss the direction and blueprint of healthcare policy together. The association also emphasized the need to address overall healthcare policies comprehensively through a flexible discussion system that allows experts on specific issues to participate.
The association made it clear that the success or failure of the consultative body depends not on its launch, but on its execution. "The key criterion for the success of the consultative body will be whether the discussions lead to actual policy changes and tangible outcomes that can be felt in the field," the association stated.
The association announced that it would seek an official meeting with the government as soon as possible to concretize the composition and operational methods of the consultative body and to begin practical policy discussions. Through this, it reaffirmed its commitment to jointly pursue the restoration of essential medical care and the normalization of the healthcare system under shared responsibility with the government.
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