President Moon: "Medical Sector Strike Is Like Firefighters Striking in Front of a Fire"

President Moon Jae-in is being introduced to the attendees at a meeting with leaders of the Korean Protestant Church held at the Blue House main building on the 27th.

President Moon Jae-in said on the 27th regarding the collective action of the medical community, "It is no different from firefighters going on strike in the face of the largest fire in history."

President Moon made these remarks during a meeting with Korean church leaders held at the Blue House that afternoon, stating, "The collective action of the medical community is causing anxiety and suffering to the people."

He also compared the medical community's strike to soldiers abandoning the battlefield.

President Moon said, "The world describes COVID-19 prevention as a war," adding, "Because it is the greatest crisis and causing the most damage since World War II."

He continued, "In wartime, soldiers who were on leave or out would return to the military and take up arms," and said, "In the current COVID-19 crisis, medical personnel leaving the medical field is no different from soldiers deserting the battlefield in wartime."

President Moon Jae-in is speaking at a meeting with leaders of the Korean Protestant Church held at the main building of the Blue House on the 27th.
President Moon urged the church to actively cooperate with the government's quarantine efforts to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

President Moon also expressed regret toward medical students who opposed the government's policy to increase medical school quotas and refused to take the national medical licensing exam.

He said, "Medical students are refusing to take the medical exam, but this causes enormous harm to the individual students and is a great burden and loss to the nation."

President Moon emphasized, "I believe and expect that our medical community will never ignore the suffering the people are enduring because of COVID-19," adding, "The government, on one hand, must engage in sincere dialogue with the medical community, and on the other hand, must act according to law and principles."

Earlier, on the 24th, President Moon also issued a warning message regarding the medical community's strike during a senior secretaries and aides meeting held at the Blue House.

He said, "At a time when national capabilities must be united to prevent the spread of COVID-19, collective actions that put the lives of the people at risk can never be supported," and urged, "I hope the medical community will refrain from collective action."

He added, "It is acceptable to oppose or criticize government policies, but it must not cross the line of legality," warning, "The government has no choice but to respond firmly to illegal collective actions such as work stoppages or closures in order to protect the people's right to life."

Meanwhile, on the same day, President Moon met with church leaders and asked the churches to set an example in quarantine efforts during the COVID-19 situation. He said, "I fully understand the feelings of some churches and congregants who insist on in-person worship," but added, "However, the virus does not discriminate based on religion or faith."

He continued, "Worship or prayer may bring peace of mind, but they do not protect against the virus," emphasizing, "All religions must accept that quarantine is not a matter of faith but a matter of science and medicine."

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