Medical Associations Announce "Mid-August General Strike"... Rising Conflict Over Medical School Expansion Increase

Choi Dae-jip, President of the Korean Medical Association (center in the photo), is holding a press conference opposing the expansion of medical school quotas in front of the National Assembly on the 23rd. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] The Korea Medical Association (KMA) has issued a stern warning, stating it is willing to go on a total strike in response to the government and ruling party's decision to increase the medical school quota by 4,000 students over the next 10 years.

On the 23rd, the KMA held a press conference opposing the increase in medical school quotas and announced that, following a resolution at the general assembly, nationwide doctors' strike would be held on either August 14 or 18 for one day. A recent survey conducted among approximately 26,000 KMA members showed that an overwhelming majority responded that if the government unilaterally pushes forward medical policies including increasing medical school quotas, collective action would be necessary.

Choi Dae-jip, president of the KMA, stated, "The Korea Medical Association, representing doctors nationwide who are responsible for public health care, cannot contain its anger over the ruling party and government proceeding with discussions to finalize plans for increasing the number of doctors, including establishing a public medical school and expanding medical school admissions, under the pretense of securing essential medical services and regional medical personnel without thorough review."

The association has labeled four government policies?including expanding medical school quotas, establishing a public medical school, pilot projects for herbal medicine coverage, and telemedicine?as the "four evils," raising strong opposition. President Choi said, "While we argue that there is a shortage of doctors in Korea and that quantitative expansion of medical personnel is necessary to respond to essential medical services and regional needs in catastrophic crises, the reality is that the collapse of essential and regional medical services and the measures to revive them lack causes and solutions, making them nothing more than political populism."

He continued, "The shortage of medical personnel in essential fields or regions is not due to a lack of doctors but is the result of failed health care policies that only suppress and squeeze medical professionals. Without establishing fundamental measures and institutional frameworks that allow doctors to conscientiously provide care in essential fields or regions, policies that aim to solve everything simply by increasing personnel will fail."

President Choi demanded, "We call on the government and ruling party to immediately halt unilateral discussions on increasing medical personnel and to begin discussions with the medical community on proper health care policies for the public and more thorough preparations for the anticipated resurgence of COVID-19."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.