"Collective Selfishness" vs "General Strike... COVID-19 Treatment Gap" Medical Law Amendment, What Do You Think?

'Medical License Revocation' Passes Welfare Committee in Medical Law... Korean Medical Association Strongly Opposes
KMA Also Claims "Suspension of Vaccine Cooperation"

Choi Dae-jip, President of the Korean Medical Association, is giving a greeting at the 1st meeting of the Medical Policy Council held on the afternoon of December 2 last year at the main conference room of the Health and Welfare Human Resources Development Institute in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] As the amendment to the Medical Service Act, which suspends or cancels the licenses of doctors sentenced to imprisonment or higher, passed the National Assembly’s Health and Welfare Committee, conflicts surrounding the issue have intensified.

Immediately, the Korea Medical Association (KMA) warned that if this bill passes the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee (Legislation Committee), doctors nationwide will launch a general strike. On the other hand, strong claims continue mainly from the ruling party to see the bill through to the end.

Earlier on the 19th, the National Assembly’s Health and Welfare Committee held a plenary session and approved the amendment to the Medical Service Act. The core content is that doctors sentenced to imprisonment or higher will have their licenses revoked for five years.

Additionally, those who commit sexual crimes against minors will be prohibited from obtaining medical licenses, and if medical personnel fall under this category, their licenses will be canceled and permanently revoked. However, if a medical professional commits a crime such as involuntary manslaughter or injury due to negligence during medical practice, even if sentenced to imprisonment or higher, they will not be subject to license cancellation. The amendment is scheduled to be submitted to the plenary session after passing through the Legislation Committee.

The medical community is strongly opposing the bill. In particular, warnings have been issued that there could be disruptions to COVID-19 vaccination efforts. They also strongly warned of the possibility of a general strike by doctors, calling it a "full-scale struggle."

On the 20th, the KMA issued a statement from the presidents of city and provincial medical associations nationwide, labeling the amendment passed by the standing committee of the National Assembly as the "license confiscation law," and stated that if it passes the Legislation Committee, it "will cause significant obstacles to COVID-19 response."

The KMA said, "We absolutely cannot accept the amendment that cancels doctors’ licenses," warning that "the amendment to the Medical Service Act will push the Korean medical system into a greater crisis of collapse."

They added, "If the bill is passed in the Legislation Committee, the KMA will lead a nationwide general strike and full-scale struggle," and criticized, "It will cause severe resentment among the KMA’s 130,000 members who protect the health and lives of the people through COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment support, and cooperation in COVID-19 vaccination, thereby causing major obstacles to COVID-19 response."

On the 17th, at the Health and Welfare Committee plenary meeting held in the National Assembly, Chairman Kim Min-seok is striking the gavel. Photo by Yonhap News

The Korean Association of Private Medical Practitioners (KAPMP), with about 40,000 private practitioners as members, also strongly opposed the bill. Kim Dong-seok, president of KAPMP, harshly criticized the amendment in an interview with a media outlet and stated that if the bill passes, they will not cooperate with the government’s COVID-19 quarantine policies.

In a phone call with 'News1,' Kim Dong-seok said, "I am shocked that the bill, which suspends or cancels doctors’ licenses regardless of severity if they are sentenced to imprisonment or higher, passed the National Assembly’s Health and Welfare Committee on the 19th," emphasizing, "If this bill passes the National Assembly, we will not cooperate with any national policies that may expose us to risks, including COVID-19 quarantine."

Earlier, on the 15th, Kim had issued a statement saying, "The amendment to the Medical Service Act treats doctors as potential criminals. It does not help public health at all and should be discarded."

Photo by Choi Dae-jip, captured from the Facebook page of the President of the Korean Medical Association

Given the situation, concerns are growing that conflicts over the amendment to the Medical Service Act and COVID-19 vaccination efforts may cause confusion in quarantine measures. Citizens have voiced their worries.

Kim, a company employee in his 30s, said, "It seems the doctors’ emotions are quite hurt," but added, "Talking about COVID-19 vaccination like this is abandoning the doctors’ duty themselves. They should do their medical work but also speak up." He continued, "This is a matter of life and, broadly speaking, it also relates to national competitiveness."

Another office worker in his 40s, Lee, strongly criticized, saying, "Saying there could be disruptions to COVID-19 quarantine is just a threat itself." He raised his voice, "Are we supposed to receive treatment from doctors who have committed crimes? Who would like such a situation?"

Meanwhile, ruling party lawmakers have expressed their determination to pass the amendment. They have strongly criticized the medical community’s view that COVID-19 vaccination efforts could be disrupted, labeling it as a de facto threat.

On the 20th, Woo Won-shik, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized the KMA’s strong opposition on his Facebook post as "the worst collective selfishness."

Woo said, "Like other professionals such as lawyers or certified public accountants, doctors should have their licenses revoked if sentenced to imprisonment or higher, but considering the characteristics, excluding cases of injury due to negligence during medical practice," and rebutted, "It is hard for anyone to accept the claim that this is a bad law."

On the morning of August 23 last year, resident doctors opposing the government's medical policy were waiting to take off their white coats in front of the main building of Seoul National University Hospital's university clinic in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

Also, on the same day, Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Nam-guk and KMA President Choi Dae-jip exchanged harsh words on social media over the amendment. Kim shared an image on his Facebook saying, "The KMA is really pathetic and shameful. I think doctors themselves are ashamed of the KMA leadership," and "If doctors threaten with vaccination, are they gangsters or doctors?"

In response, President Choi posted, "Kim Nam-guk, are you a robber or a lawmaker?" and "The Democratic Party is really pathetic and disgusting."

Choi further said, "If a lawmaker uses legislative power to create a retaliatory license confiscation law, is that a gangster or a lawmaker?" and mockingly added, "When a squid jumps, a mudfish jumps too."

Meanwhile, Jeong Kyung-sil, head of the COVID-19 Vaccination Management Team at the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Group, said at the Central Disease Control Headquarters briefing that regarding the KMA’s opposition, "Since vaccination is being carried out for the entire population, we are continuously consulting and cooperating with the medical community. We will continue to cooperate with the KMA so that vaccination can proceed smoothly."

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