Former Fellows Demand "Complete Withdrawal of the Four Major Medical Policies"... Resignation Letters Submitted Consecutively at Seoul National University and Korea University Hospitals

On the 26th, when the second general strike led by the Korean Medical Association (KMA) was enforced, a fellow doctor held a picket protest at Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The KMA opposed the government's policies such as expanding the quota of medical schools and entered a three-day collective strike until the 28th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] Nationwide fellows (residents) claimed that the government misled public opinion by only disclosing some of the medical community's demands regarding the expansion of medical school quotas and the establishment of public medical schools, giving the impression that all demands were accepted.

The National Fellows Emergency Response Committee stated in a press release on the 31st, "We continuously conveyed specific demands to the government, but only some were disclosed."

The fellows demanded the withdrawal of four major policies: expansion of medical school quotas, establishment of public medical schools, coverage of herbal medicine under insurance, and promotion of telemedicine.

The National Fellows Emergency Response Committee said, "The government and the National Assembly should apologize to the public and the medical community for unilaterally pushing forward the 'four evils' medical policies without sufficient discussion and public debate with the medical community, and share the awareness of the issues."

They added, "A consultative body should be established within the National Assembly involving the medical community led by the Korean Medical Association, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Korean Medical Association, and the Korean Intern Resident Association to re-discuss the policies from the ground up."

They further stated, "All future medical policy-related bills should be promoted only after prior consultation within the National Assembly consultative body involving the Korean Medical Association and the Korean Intern Resident Association, and be voted on with bipartisan agreement."

The fellows demanded that the government immediately work to improve treatment for less-preferred specialties and essential medical areas in provincial regions, and that the 'Partial Amendment to the Framework Act on Disaster and Safety Management' proposed by Rep. Hwang Unha of the Democratic Party on the 24th be immediately withdrawn.

The National Fellows Emergency Response Committee warned, "If the government or the National Assembly again unilaterally pushes forward the bills related to the four evils medical policies, all the aforementioned organizations, fellows, and residents will collectively suspend all work, and the medical community including medical students, residents, and fellows will respond jointly."

Meanwhile, on the same day, fellows working at Seoul National University Hospital, Bundang Seoul National University Hospital, Boramae Hospital, and other affiliates of Seoul National University Hospital submitted their resignation letters. At Korea University Guro Hospital, as of the previous day, 43 out of 60 fellows had submitted their resignation letters.

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