Seoul National University Hospital Director "Agree to Expand Medical School Quotas... Need to Adjust to Appropriate Scale"

Promotion of Lifting Restrictions on Other Public Institutions "Within the Limits of Not Undermining Public Interest"

Kim Young-tae, director of Seoul National University Hospital, expressed his agreement with expanding the quota of medical schools to strengthen essential medical services.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 24th, Director Kim appeared at the Education Committee's national audit held at the National Assembly and responded "Yes" when asked by Lee Tae-gyu, a member of the People Power Party, whether he agreed with increasing the medical school quota. However, when Lee asked again about the specific number by which the quota should be increased, Kim avoided giving a concrete answer.

Director Kim stated, "I agree that the medical school quota should be expanded as part of the essential medical innovation plan," adding, "Regarding the scale of the increase, it varies depending on different research institutions, so we must first consider scientific evidence on the demand for medical personnel and the conditions of medical school education."

While agreeing with the expansion of the medical school quota, he also expressed concerns that the increasing number of doctors might choose non-essential medical specialties, contrary to initial expectations. Kim said, "If we increase the number of doctors covering both non-essential and essential medical fields, a large number may end up in non-essential medical areas," adding, "The key will be whether we can increase the number of doctors while preventing that." He further added, "Since the Ministry of Health and Welfare is promoting the essential medical innovation plan, it seems necessary to carefully adjust the appropriate scale."

When Lee criticized this response by saying, "This kind of answer does not seem likely to solve the shortage of residents at provincial national university hospitals," Director Kim replied, "This must be resolved this time."

He also announced that Seoul National University Hospital would contribute to developing the network of national university hospitals, taking advantage of the transfer of jurisdiction over national university hospitals from the Ministry of Education to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

Kim said, "For national university hospitals to develop, it is necessary not only to increase personnel and supplement equipment but also to ensure that capable medical staff can remain at national university hospitals," adding, "Seoul National University Hospital will mobilize its full capacity to develop the network of national university hospitals well."

In addition, when Kang Min-jung, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, pointed out, "Seoul National University Hospital and 10 national university hospitals are public health care institutions based on the Public Medical Service Act, so requesting to be released from public institution status is tantamount to denying their own existence," Kim responded that it was intended as one solution to expand essential medical personnel.

Kim said, "I understand that the proposal to be released from other public institution status came up as one way to resolve the current situation where the total quota and total personnel expenses for essential medical staff are tied together," adding, "At least the directors of national university hospitals do not care about the method as long as the issues of essential medical personnel and personnel expenses can be resolved."

He continued, "For example, I know that recently KAIST was released from other public institution status, resolving the issues of total personnel expenses and total quota while also establishing separate safeguards to strengthen publicness," adding, "The directors of national university hospitals think that the issue should be resolved without damaging publicness."

National university hospitals belong to 'other public institutions' under the Ministry of Education according to the Act on the Management of Public Institutions. Accordingly, national university hospitals must report the necessary quota size according to government guidelines, consult with the government on quota adjustments, and set total personnel expenses within the government-determined increase rate limit.

Under these circumstances, national university hospitals have no choice but to offer relatively lower salaries to medical personnel compared to private hospitals and have been complaining about difficulties in securing medical staff due to intensified outflow to private hospitals. In response, the government has announced plans to significantly increase the number of professor quotas and innovate regulations on total personnel expenses and quotas for public institutions to resolve the shortage of essential medical personnel and strengthen compensation.

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