Residents "Reconsider Policy from the Beginning" vs Government "Not Possible" Tangled Medical-Political Issues (Comprehensive)

Official Launch of the Young Doctors Emergency Response Committee... Possibility of a Public Debate

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Seo So-jeong and Jo Hyun-ui] The Emergency Committee of the Korean Intern Resident Association (KIRA) held a press conference at 11 a.m. on the 1st at the Seoul Medical Association, urging the government to withdraw its medical policies. Following a letter sent to President Moon Jae-in the previous day demanding "a complete reexamination of all policies from the starting point," the KIRA Emergency Committee held a press conference on the 12th day of the strike, repeatedly demanding a fundamental reconsideration of policies such as the expansion of medical school quotas. However, as the government clearly stated that "reconsideration from the starting point is difficult," the confrontation between the medical community and the government has yet to find a resolution.

◆ Residents: "We will immediately return to the field once 'reconsideration from the starting point' is explicitly stated" = On this day, Park Ji-hyun, head of the KIRA Emergency Committee, stated, "We will return to the field as soon as the phrase 'comprehensive reconsideration from the starting point' is explicitly included in the agreement." He emphasized the inevitability of the strike, saying, "Young doctors want to return to the clinical field more than anyone else," and urged the withdrawal of unreasonable and unfair medical policies that have been hastily pushed forward without any consultation with the medical community.

Park argued, "Expanding medical school quotas and establishing public medical schools cannot solve the problem of doctors avoiding essential medical specialties," and insisted that the issue of avoidance should be resolved through the normalization of (medical) fees. He claimed that the shortage of essential medical specialists is due to the lack of hospitals where specialists can find employment, not a shortage of doctors holding certifications in essential medical fields.

On this day, the KIRA Emergency Committee officially launched the 'Young Doctors Emergency Committee' in solidarity with fellows and medical students and announced plans to respond to the government in alliance with young doctors. Park said, "From today, medical students, residents, and fellows will form a unified consultative body called the 'Young Doctors Emergency Committee,'" adding, "The Young Doctors Emergency Committee will demand the withdrawal of the government's four major policies: expansion of medical school quotas, establishment of public medical schools, coverage of herbal medicine, and promotion of telemedicine."

◆ Government: "Withdrawal of existing policies is impossible due to illegal reasons" = In response to the medical community's ongoing demands for 'reconsideration from the starting point,' the government maintains that it is difficult to withdraw and reconsider existing policy implementations. 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 group, two are beyond the authority of the executive branch or involve illegal reasons making government withdrawal impossible, and the remaining issue concerns the expansion of the number of doctors." He added, "Despite continuous explanations during the consultation process and the judgment that the demands were understood, it is incomprehensible that the same withdrawal demands are being repeated." The government explained that withdrawing policies opposed by the medical community, such as herbal medicine coverage or the establishment of public medical schools, would violate laws, making such withdrawal impossible. Regarding the expansion of medical school quotas, the government requested the resident group to clarify their position. Yoon said, "It is necessary to clarify whether the policy withdrawal requested by the resident group exceeds government authority or involves illegal exercise of authority, or if it only concerns the expansion of the number of doctors," adding, "The government has already suspended the policy to increase the number of doctors, including the Ministry of Education's quota notification, without any conditions."

Han Jeong-ae, the newly appointed Policy Committee Chair of the Democratic Party of Korea, also expressed frustration. In an interview with KBS Radio's 'Kim Kyung-rae's Strongest Current Affairs' on the 1st, she said, "Bills such as the expansion of medical school quotas and the establishment of public health medical universities were submitted by individual lawmakers, so they cannot be forcibly withdrawn," but added, "However, our party will not forcibly push these through or proceed with any progress under our party's name." She continued, "I don't know if the phrase 'reconsideration from the starting point' is that important," and expressed some discomfort, saying, "I am not sure if using that exact phrase to claim that the government or National Assembly has been 100% forced to yield carries such great significance."

Amid the sharp disagreement between the government and the medical community over the phrase 'reconsideration from the starting point,' a 'public debate' is emerging as a potential solution. On this day, the Emergency Committee expressed willingness to participate in a public debate with the government regarding the expansion of medical school quotas and other issues, leaving the door open for future dialogue. Previously, the government had also expressed willingness to engage in public debates with the resident group and the medical community.

Meanwhile, the KIRA press conference on this day attracted attention as it followed the government's decision to postpone the practical exam of the national medical licensing examination by one week the day before. This situation could be interpreted as a concession by the government, raising speculation that the residents' hardline stance might soften. However, as the residents reiterated their demand for the withdrawal of medical policies they have long opposed, the conflict with the government is likely to continue for the time being.

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