Daejeon Association Demands 'Cancellation of Medical School Expansion and Withdrawal of Work Commencement Order'

Emergency Temporary General Assembly for 2024 to be Held on the 20th
"Radical Medical School Quota Policy for Political Vote-Seeking"

The Korean Intern Resident Association (KIRA) demanded the government to completely revoke the plan to increase medical school admissions.

Representatives of residents who submitted their resignation letters and declared a work stoppage in protest against the government's plan to increase medical school admissions are attending the emergency temporary general assembly of the Korean Intern Resident Association held at the Korean Medical Association building in Yongsan-gu, Seoul on the 20th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 20th, KIRA issued a statement demanding the government to ▲ completely revoke the plan to increase medical school admissions ▲ establish an organization for scientific forecasting of physician supply and demand ▲ expand the hiring of specialists in training hospitals ▲ present concrete measures for unavoidable medical accidents ▲ improve the training environment for residents ▲ completely abolish the work commencement order, among other demands.

They stated, "The government announced an essential medical policy package earlier this month, but it is full of policies that restrict optimal medical care, such as payment system reforms that increase the burden on the public, prohibition of mixed billing for non-reimbursable items, introduction of medical and clinic licenses, extension of internship training periods, and opening of the cosmetic market." They continued, "The government announced an absurd figure of expanding medical school admissions by 2,000 students," adding, "We requested scientific evidence from the government, but they refused to disclose the data and announced a radical medical school admission policy for political votes."

They also criticized, "Despite residents working over 80 hours a week and receiving wages at the minimum wage level, the government has ignored this so far, and now claims that residents leaving hospitals causes medical paralysis," questioning, "Is it desirable for hospitals not to operate normally simply because there are no trainees?"

Claims were also made that the government is undemocratically suppressing residents. They said, "The government is abusing extralegal administrative orders such as prohibiting acceptance of resignation letters and forbidding collective actions, treating residents as criminals," and demanded, "Withdraw these unjust orders that intimidate residents completely and issue a formal apology."

More than 100 representatives of training hospitals nationwide held an 'Emergency Extraordinary General Assembly of Delegates for 2024' from noon to 5 p.m. at the Korean Medical Association building in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Most of them submitted resignation letters to their hospitals and stopped working. Their position is that the government's work commencement order infringes on fundamental rights. They did not disclose future plans for collective actions, such as how long they will continue refusing medical services.

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