Government: "Medical Community, Please Clarify Your Position on Whether Expanding the Number of Doctors Is the Only Issue" (Update)

Herbal Medicine Coverage and New Public Medical School Cannot Be Withdrawn by Government Authority
"Policy to Increase Number of Doctors is on Hold... Please Return to Clinical Practice"

As medical professionals including residents and fellows continue their collective strike, urging the withdrawal of major policies such as the expansion of medical school quotas and the establishment of public medical schools, on the morning of the 1st, Kim Tae-yeop, head of the Seoul National University Hospital branch of the Medical Solidarity Headquarters, is holding a solo protest at Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul, calling for doctors to stop refusing treatment and for an increase in medical personnel.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] The government reaffirmed on the ongoing refusal to provide medical services by the resident doctors (interns and residents) group, who are demanding the withdrawal of health and medical policies, stating that "withdrawal is difficult." The government expressed that it is hard to understand the medical community’s unilateral demands, knowing that retracting the policies goes beyond the government's authority.

On the 1st, Yoon Tae-ho, Director of Public Medical Policy at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said at the regular briefing of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, "Among the three demands of the resident doctors’ group, two are beyond the executive branch’s authority or involve illegal reasons making government withdrawal impossible, and the remaining issue is the expansion of the number of doctors. Despite continuous explanations during negotiations that were deemed acceptable, it is incomprehensible that the same withdrawal demands are being repeated."

Earlier, the Korean Intern and Resident Association stated in an appeal that they would stop refusing medical services only if the government withdrew its ongoing medical policies, including the pilot application of herbal medicine coverage, establishment of public medical schools, and expansion of the number of doctors. The government explained that withdrawing policies such as herbal medicine coverage or the establishment of public medical schools is impossible as it would violate laws.

Applying health insurance to Korean herbal medicine decoctions is a matter decided after more than eight months of discussion by the Health Insurance Policy Deliberation Committee (HIPDC) according to relevant laws. The HIPDC is the highest decision-making body related to health insurance, composed of a balanced representation of the government, medical providers, and subscriber groups. The Korean Medical Association also has two members on the committee. Moreover, since it was decided to conduct a pilot project on some herbal medicines for one year before making a final decision, the government views unilateral demands for withdrawal as lacking reasonable grounds.

The establishment of public medical schools is also not a unilateral government initiative but a matter following legislation by the National Assembly. The government sees the current unilateral opposition as occurring at the bill submission stage. Demanding the government to withdraw a legislative matter pending in the National Assembly is an unreasonable request that transcends the separation of powers. The National Assembly’s standing committees and opposition parties have proposed consultative bodies involving the medical community.

The remaining policy issue concerns the expansion of the number of doctors, and the government emphasized that the resident doctors’ group should clearly clarify their position on this matter. Director Yoon stated, "It is necessary for the resident doctors’ group to clearly state whether their demand for policy withdrawal involves requests that exceed the government’s authority or involve illegal exercise of authority, or if they are only concerned with the expansion of the number of doctors. The government has already stopped pursuing policies to expand the number of doctors, such as notifying quotas from the Ministry of Education, without any conditions."

He added, "After overcoming the COVID-19 crisis, we have continuously proposed to keep all possibilities open for consultation. If the resident doctors’ group, as medical experts, presents new policy alternatives during this process, the government will sincerely engage in discussions."

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