KMA "No Government Request for Medical Negotiations... Concern Over Issue Escalation of Medical School Quota"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] The medical community is openly expressing discomfort over the Ministry of Health and Welfare's recent mention of increasing medical school quotas as a measure to expand essential medical services in its work report.

The Korean Medical Association (KMA) issued a statement on the 12th, saying, "We are very concerned about the issue of medical school quotas being raised in the media when the government has not officially requested medical-government consultations and the COVID-19 stabilization declaration has not yet been made."

Previously, the KMA and the Ministry of Health and Welfare agreed in September 2020 through a medical-government agreement that the expansion of medical school quotas would be discussed in the medical-government consultative body after COVID-19 stabilization.

Lee Pil-su, President of the Korean Medical Association.

The KMA emphasized, "The issue of physician workforce supply and demand is not only a matter for healthcare consumers and providers but a nationwide issue affecting all citizens. It must be carefully reviewed considering our country's healthcare system and resources. Regardless of the interests of each party, policies on workforce supply and demand should be established with the goal of improving public health and providing high-quality medical care."

They added, "We once again urge the government to respect the agreement that was difficult to achieve by uniting doctors nationwide and to comply with its implementation. Furthermore, after COVID-19 stabilizes, we will do our best to ensure that a mid- to long-term and rational physician workforce supply policy for the future of the Republic of Korea is prepared through careful discussions with the government."

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