Seoul Medical School Professors' Emergency Committee: "Will Act Together with Residents if No Government Measures"

"This Weekend Is the Golden Time for the (Medical Crisis) Situation"

The Emergency Response Committee (ERC), composed of professors from Seoul National University College of Medicine and Seoul National University Hospital, stated that the upcoming weekend is a critical turning point and declared, "If there are no measures acceptable to the residents, we will join their actions."

Medical staff are moving in a public hospital in downtown Seoul on the 22nd, the third day of collective action by residents protesting the government's policy to increase the number of medical school students.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

In a statement released on the 23rd, the Seoul National University College of Medicine ERC said, "If no progress is made over the weekend, an irreversible catastrophe that no one can resolve will occur." They added, "If the hospital services, which have been operating in a limited capacity, continue as they are, they will not last even ten days," and pledged, "We will do everything possible to prevent this disaster."

They also announced plans to "expand and reorganize the active ERC nationwide and coordinate with ERCs being formed at tertiary hospitals across the country."

They urged the government to engage in dialogue. The ERC stated, "What we want is for the government to approach talks with an open mind and, through meaningful discussions, jointly create and implement the best solutions for public health and medical care."

Regarding the government, the ERC said, "Government officials told the press that they would 'contact us first to meet,' but so far we have only received a complacent response that 'dialogue is possible, but we are not a negotiation counterpart,'" and urged, "We ask the government to clearly state whether it is willing to engage in dialogue with the ERC."

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