"Reexamination from Scratch" vs. "'No Nullification' Possible"… Medical-Political Standoff Continues for Two Days (Comprehensive)

Deans and directors of 40 medical schools and graduate medical schools nationwide are urging the government to reconsider medical policies from the ground up and postpone the national medical licensing examination at an emergency press conference held by the Korean Association of Medical Colleges (KAMC) on the afternoon of the 27th at Korea University College of Medicine in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] On the second day of the 2nd nationwide doctors' strike on the 27th, the government and the medical community have yet to narrow their differences, intensifying the "strong confrontation" situation. While the entire medical community?from residents, who are mainly young doctors, to fellows, deans and faculty members of medical schools, and directors of medical graduate schools?demanded a complete reconsideration of the government's medical policies such as expanding medical school quotas and establishing public medical schools, the government insisted that it cannot scrap policies prepared based on social discussions.

Deans and Faculty of Medical Schools "Medical Licensing Practical Exam Should Be Postponed"

On the afternoon of the same day, 40 deans and directors of medical schools nationwide, affiliated with the Korean Association of Medical Colleges and Medical Graduate Schools (KAMC), held an emergency press conference at the main building of Korea University College of Medicine in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. They urged the government to reconsider from scratch the medical policies it is promoting, including expanding medical school quotas and establishing public medical schools, and to allow medical students to return to their educational sites. They also requested postponement of the Medical Licensing Examination (MLE) practical exam, considering the resurgence of COVID-19.

The 40 deans and directors expressed deep concern over medical students opposing government policies by canceling their MLE applications and engaging in collective leave of absence, stating, "We are deeply concerned about leaving educational sites, refusing the national exam, and collective leave of absence as means of active expression." They added, "Under any circumstances, deans and directors of medical schools will do their utmost to protect medical students, who are future doctors."

They requested the government to form a medical-government consultative body including medical education experts to reconsider health and medical policies, including the establishment of public medical schools and expansion of medical school quotas, from the ground up. They also urged postponing the practical exam scheduled from September 1 to October 27 by at least two weeks due to the worsening COVID-19 situation mainly in the metropolitan area, which makes it impossible to conduct the exam normally, to ensure stable output of medical personnel.

Professors of Sungkyunkwan University College of Medicine also issued a statement on the same day, saying, "With the increase in COVID-19 confirmed cases, more thorough quarantine is necessary, and the workload of professors has increased due to the strike of residents and fellows, making it difficult to conduct the exam properly," and proposed postponing the medical licensing practical exam. They also insisted, "The voices from the field must be reflected in policies for the development of public healthcare," and urged, "The government and the Korean Medical Association should gather in one place and restart discussions from scratch."

The government and the Korea Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute (KHPLEI) maintain their position to proceed with the medical licensing practical exam as scheduled from September 1. Yoon Tae-ho, head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) quarantine team, said on the day, "We are repeatedly confirming by phone and text whether the cancellation of exam applications is genuine and whether the applicants really intend to cancel," adding, "If there is no response, we will have no choice but to finalize the cancellation of the exam application."

Son Young-rae, head of the Strategic Planning Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, is responding to reporters' questions regarding the collective strike by medical organizations during the regular COVID-19 response briefing held at the Government Complex Sejong in Sejong City on the morning of the 27th.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

"Withdraw or Reach Agreement on Medical Policies vs. 'Scrapping' Demand Unacceptable"

Earlier, the Korean Intern Resident Association, composed of interns and residents, demanded, "The government's plan to expand medical school quotas and establish public medical schools should be stopped or withdrawn," and "When re-discussed, it should be from the beginning or from scratch, and the Korean Intern Resident Association, the Korean Medical Association, and the medical community should be consulted." They also refused to comply with the government's work commencement order issued the previous day and agreed to endure administrative orders and disadvantages.

Nationwide fellows also issued a statement on the same day, saying, "The government's current policy did not reflect the voices of the medical community from the beginning," and "We will return to work immediately once the government stops unilateral and coercive enforcement and announces that all discussions will restart from scratch with the medical community."

The government clearly stated that it cannot accept such demands. Son Young-rae, head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters Strategic Planning Team, said, "The Intern Resident Association is requesting the government to declare that it will scrap and withdraw all policies," adding, "These policies have been discussed and developed considerably through other social consultative bodies or channels involving stakeholders, the National Assembly, academia, and civil society. It is difficult to accept a declaration to abandon these and start anew."

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