'Medical School Expansion' Final Debate... Government: "Let's Meet and Discuss the 2,000 Increase" vs Medical Community: "Flexibility Needed"

Ministry of Health and Welfare and Medical Community Clash Over Medical School Admissions Increase
Debate Intensifies Over the Scale and Impact of Expanding Medical School Enrollment
Concerns Raised About Education Quality; Government Emphasizes Scientific Decision-Making

The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the medical community clashed over the scale of the 2,000 medical school admissions increase during a televised public debate on medical school expansion.

On the 23rd, in KBS's current affairs program 'Sasageongeon,' Park Min-su, the 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, stated regarding the plan to increase medical school admissions by 2,000 next year, "This is not a matter for negotiation," but also proposed, "Since the expansion of medical school admissions by 2,000 is part of the overall medical reform, let's meet and discuss it with the medical community."

Photo by KBS YouTube Broadcast

Vice Minister Park said, "There are claims that the scale of the 2,000 increase is suddenly too large, but the later the increase is delayed, the more we will have to increase it to cover the shortage of doctors," adding, "The scale of the increase is not a matter to be pushed and pulled through negotiation. It must be decided objectively and scientifically."

He continued, "The expansion of medical school admissions by 2,000 is part of the 'Essential Medical Care Policy Package,'" and said, "We need to discuss whether to adjust the speed of the increase or if there are other alternatives, but before any discussion, the Korean Medical Association abruptly left the negotiation table. Let's meet and discuss to solve this structured problem."

Kim Taek-woo, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the Korean Medical Association, said, "If the government shows policy flexibility regarding the number of doctors, we can enter negotiations."

Chairman Kim added, "If the government has flexibility regarding the increase in medical school admissions, we will sit at the negotiation table," emphasizing, "Policy flexibility is necessary."

The medical community is concerned about a 'decline in education quality' with the expansion of medical school admissions. In response, Vice Minister Park said, "It is fully possible without a decline in education quality. It has also undergone expert verification." He also mentioned that they are negotiating a plan to increase the number of professors at national medical schools by 1,000.

Vice Minister Park said, "We are discussing ways to manage the quality of medical education by increasing the quota of professors at national medical schools and having private universities invest in their foundations," adding, "From concerns raised in the education field, one-on-one education between professors and students is necessary, but if suddenly dozens of students enter due to the increase in admissions, it becomes impossible. Some universities already have a ratio of one student per three professors. We will sufficiently increase the number of professors to resolve this issue (the one-on-one education problem)."

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