Korean Medicine Association: "Medical Students Should Be Allowed to Retake National Exam... Apology to the Public Should Come from Medical Association"

"Strikes Taking Patients and Students Hostage Must Not Repeat"... Welcoming the Public Hearing on Herbal Medicine

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] The Korean Medicine Doctors Association, which has been at odds with the Korean Medical Association (KMA) over the inclusion of traditional herbal medicine prescriptions in insurance coverage, has unusually expressed the position that medical students should be allowed to retake the national medical licensing exam.

On the 29th, the Korean Medicine Doctors Association released a statement saying, "The retake of the national medical licensing exam by medical students should be proactively permitted."

The association stated, "Medical students are facing the risk of failing or not taking the exam, and with the issue of no-confidence in the KMA arising, doubts have been raised about whether the medical-government agreement can be properly implemented. However, it is fortunate that the no-confidence motions against KMA President Choi Dae-jip and others were all rejected at the KMA general meeting on the 27th, allowing the spark of the medical-government agreement to continue," opening their remarks.

They continued, "This doctors' strike was a strike to protect the medical monopoly, and the KMA, which mobilized the general strike to defend this monopoly, must take final responsibility for the current situation. Nevertheless, the current situation where only medical students face disadvantages such as failing or not taking the exam is greatly wrong," they said.

The association emphasized, "Considering that the issue of increasing the number of doctors was a key reason for the doctors' strike, the retake of the national medical licensing exam by medical students is indeed a problem that must be resolved," adding, "The party that should apologize to the public is not the medical students but the KMA." They also stated, "Strikes that hold patients and students hostage must never be repeated," and "The true apology would be for the KMA to proactively gather public opinion on the adjustment of the number of doctors and the issue of medical monopoly and proceed accordingly."

Regarding the consultative body to be formed through an agreement with the government, they raised their voice that not only medical professionals but also diverse voices of the public should be reflected. Lastly, the association said, "We repeatedly welcome the proposal for a public hearing on the scientific validation of herbal medicine prescriptions by the Western medical community," and added, "We urge swift promotion and cooperation so that it can be conducted before the pilot project is implemented."

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