Assemblyman Yongbin Lee: "Resident Doctors Must Stop Striking and Attend to Patients Amid COVID-19 Crisis"

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Rep. Lee Yong-bin (The Democratic Party of Korea, Gwangju Gwangsan-gap) stated that resident doctors should stop their strike and engage in COVID-19 prevention and patient care.

On the 2nd, Rep. Lee said, "There are many concerns that the act of trying to take the lead in government policy through collective action by holding the lives and safety of the people hostage looks more like a politician than a medical professional," adding, "Using patients, whom medical professionals must protect, and the noble medical profession as hostages for anti-government movements is a truly regrettable sight for doctors in this extraordinary COVID-19 situation."

Rep. Lee said, "Even within the medical community, many believe that the strike should be stopped immediately and efforts should be made toward COVID-19 prevention and patient care," and added, "The solution to overcoming the national crisis brought by COVID-19 lies in establishing regional public hospitals, including infectious disease specialty hospitals. Everyone agrees that the fundamental background of medical issues is the excessive medical imbalance and gaps between regions, as well as the gaps in essential medical services that protect lives."

He continued, "Although public healthcare missions have been sustained by the sacrifice and dedication of private medical institutions and medical staff, we must not forget that this is one of the challenges the government must address," and said, "Due to the spread of COVID-19 infections, concerns about emergency medical gaps such as bed shortages and medical staff shortages are imminent, making it an absolutely necessary time for bold social conflict resolution capabilities."

He added, "What is needed now is to wisely resolve conflicts between the government and medical organizations and to draw a new picture of public health and medical care," emphasizing, "On the premise of strengthening medical publicness as a grand principle, the National Assembly should play its role, and the government should form a ‘Social Grand Compromise Committee’ involving parties, government, civic groups, and experts to find wise solutions for public health and medical policies."

Regarding this, Rep. Lee proposed to Presidential Chief of Staff Noh Young-min, "In the policy decision-making process on how to reform health and medical care necessary for our society, including regional and public healthcare, it is necessary to listen to diverse voices from the field and involve not only doctors but various stakeholders for deliberation," and suggested, "The formation of a presidential ‘Social Grand Compromise Committee’ similar to the tripartite labor-management-government committee should be actively considered."

Chief of Staff Noh Young-min responded, "I agree with resolving conflicts through discussions in a consultative body," and added, "Whether the consultative body should be directly under the president, set up as a special committee in the National Assembly, or handled by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission with conflict mediation functions needs further discussion."

Rep. Lee then told Policy Chief Kim Sang-jo, "To protect the people's right to life and health, when promoting the essential public medical system establishment projects, it is necessary to exempt them from preliminary feasibility studies," and demanded, "So far, preliminary feasibility studies focused on economic efficiency and profitability have hindered the expansion of public healthcare. The Blue House should actively step in to resolve medical blind spots."

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