KMA: "Respect Medical Students' Decision... Will Ensure Ruling Party and Government Fulfill Promises Without Gaps"

Minister of Health and Welfare Park Neung-hoo (right) and Chairman Choi Dae-jip of the Korean Medical Association shake hands after signing an agreement on the 4th at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul, to form a medical-government consultative body to discuss suspending the collective strike and expanding medical school quotas. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] The Korean Medical Association (KMA) expressed on the 13th that it respects the decision of medical students to postpone collective action and stated its intention to ensure that the ruling party and government fully honor their promises to the medical community in the future.

In a statement released that day, the KMA said, "The pure courage, passion, and dedication of medical students and medical graduate school (Uiwon) students who stood up to correct the wrong medical policies unilaterally pushed by the government left a profound impact and a sense of shame in the hearts of 130,000 senior doctors," adding, "We fully trust and respect the students' anguish and decision."

It continued, "As the students wish, we pledge to be reborn through diligent self-improvement," emphasizing, "Without betraying this trust, we will prepare thoroughly to ensure that the ruling party and government fulfill their promises flawlessly and that the medical system is properly established."

The KMA stated, "The government, which called students who should be focusing on their medical studies to the streets through unilateral policy promotion, poor communication, arrogance, and dogmatism, must take the students' decision seriously and bear appropriate responsibility," and added, "We deeply regret the inappropriate remarks and actions of some individuals that cast doubt on sincerity and urge the faithful implementation of the agreement."

Furthermore, it clarified, "We also clearly state that the government alone is responsible for all foreseeable consequences that may arise from taking the current situation lightly."

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