"Enough Is Enough" Voices Against Strikes Even Within the Medical Community

"Patients Waiting, Public Opinion Turning Cold"
Internal Reports Opposing Strike from Daejeon Association

On the afternoon of the 7th, students affiliated with the Korean Intern Resident Association are protesting against the government's plan to increase the number of medical residents at the entrance of Yeouido Park in Seoul.
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kang Juhee] The Korean Intern Resident Association (KIRA), which is opposing the government's medical policies such as the expansion of medical school quotas, decided on the 30th to continue their collective strike, but it is reported that voices opposing the strike are also emerging within the medical community.

On the 29th, an anonymous post appealing to stop the strike was uploaded on the Facebook account 'Working Residents'.

The author pointed out, "It is a matter to consider how appropriate it is for doctors to have decision-making power in formulating medical policies," adding, "We must consider who the citizens affected by the 'Four Major Evil Policies' are. Not only doctors, medical students, and medical professors, but also the approximately 80,000 residents living in Namwon, where a public medical school is planned to be established, citizens who want to purchase herbal medicine, Korean medicine doctors, and all taxpayers are directly related."

They continued, "This is enough. The government has been persuaded to 'consult.' Although we do not know what conclusions will be reached through 'consultation,' the government must have realized that it cannot ignore doctors' opinions," adding, "We have put a brake on the 'Four Major Evil Policies,' and going forward, the government will never completely ignore doctors' opinions."

They urged, "Please conclude the strike through a prompt agreement. Patients are waiting, and public opinion is turning cold."

On the morning of the 21st, near Konkuk University Hospital in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, a representative of the Korean Intern Resident Association is holding a solo protest against the expansion of medical school quotas and the establishment of public medical schools.
Photo by Yonhap News

It is also reported that within KIRA, there were those who wanted to stop the strike but their opinions were not reflected. 'Some Residents,' composed of interns and residents, claimed in a press release on the 30th, "The majority of the emergency committee wanted to stop the strike, but it was not reflected."

They stated, "We wanted to stop (the strike) for the health of the public and the benefit of all residents," and "More than half of the 10 key members of the emergency committee who judged they could not follow the KIRA leadership expressed their resignation."

'Some Residents' also pointed out that it was problematic that KIRA's emergency committee held another vote at the Temporary National Representatives Emergency Committee Meeting (Representatives Meeting) and decided to continue the strike.

They explained, "While the emergency committee's opinions were ignored, the Representatives Meeting hastily passed the resolution and pushed forward the strike," adding, "Frontline residents were in an atmosphere advocating for continuing the strike based on unofficially circulated information without sufficient explanation about the comprehensive medical community agreement."

Earlier, KIRA held a Representatives Meeting from 10 p.m. on the 29th to 5 a.m. the next day and conducted a vote on whether to continue the strike. In the first vote, 96 out of 193 voting members chose to continue the strike, but it was rejected as it did not meet the quorum (97 members). A re-vote was then held, and 134 out of 186 chose to continue the strike, deciding to proceed with the collective strike.

In response, KIRA's emergency committee denied the claims made by 'Some Residents' as untrue.

On the 31st, KIRA's emergency committee told multiple media outlets, "There were no problems with the decision-making process and procedures," adding, "The emergency committee is the executive body, and official opinions follow the decision-making body, the General Assembly of Delegates (Representatives Meeting)."

They further added, "It is true that moderate and hardline factions within the emergency committee executive body fiercely exchange opinions for better decision-making, but it is not true that Emergency Committee Chair Park Jihyun ignores the executive body's opinions and makes decisions unilaterally."

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