KMA "COVID-19 Severe... Proposes Urgent Talks with Prime Minister and Ruling and Opposition Parties"

"Legislative Cooperation, More Crucial Than Ever"

On the 14th, doctors affiliated with the Korean Medical Association held a rally on Yeouidaero in Seoul, urging the government to expand the quota for medical schools./Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

The Korean Medical Association announced on the 23rd that it has sent an official letter proposing an emergency meeting with the Prime Minister, the Democratic Party of Korea, and the United Future Party, judging that the resurgence of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) is serious.

The association explained, "As the COVID-19 outbreak is spreading nationwide, we proposed dialogue, seeing medical and political cooperation as more urgent than ever."

This is a request to seek reasonable solutions through dialogue between the medical community and political circles regarding healthcare policies such as expanding medical school quotas, establishing public medical schools, including herbal medicine prescriptions in insurance coverage, and promoting telemedicine.

Kim Dae-ha, spokesperson for the association, said, "Facing the severe crisis of nationwide COVID-19 spread, we proposed a meeting keeping all possibilities open," adding, "We hope that problem-solving through dialogue will be achieved in this serious situation."

As COVID-19 confirmed cases rapidly increased nationwide, the number of new confirmed cases approached 400 on the day. According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters, as of midnight, 397 new COVID-19 cases were reported, bringing the total confirmed cases to 17,399.

COVID-19, which had been spreading mainly in the metropolitan area centered around Seoul's Sarang Jeil Church, has spread nationwide through the August 15 Gwanghwamun rally, workplaces, entertainment facilities, sports facilities, and various small gatherings, with daily new confirmed cases recording the highest numbers since the second wave.

In particular, non-metropolitan area cases reached the 100 mark for the first time since the second wave centered in the metropolitan area began in early May, showing a pattern of simultaneous spread nationwide.

Although the government, fearing a 'nationwide pandemic,' expanded the 'social distancing' level 2, previously applied only to the metropolitan area, to the entire country starting from this day, concerns are emerging that this measure alone may be insufficient.

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