Medical Association: "If Residents Are Punished for Resigning, Korean Healthcare Will Completely Collapse"

"Threat Warning of Deprivation of Freedom to Change Residence and Choose Occupation"
"Willing to Meet and Talk Anytime if Government Changes Position"
"Report on Support for Increasing Professors at Sungkyunkwan University Medical School Is Incorrect"

The medical community has urged to abandon a coercive stance and engage in sincere dialogue premised on policy withdrawal to prevent a medical catastrophe.

Joo Suho, Chairman of the Emergency Response Committee's Public Relations Committee of the Korean Medical Association, held a regular briefing at 2 p.m. on the 26th at the Korean Medical Association building in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and expressed his position. Photo by Choi Taewon peaceful1@

On the 26th at 2 p.m., Joo Su-ho, the Public Relations Commissioner of the Emergency Response Committee of the Korean Medical Association, held a regular briefing at the KMA headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, stating, "What is happening now would never have occurred if efforts had been made to resolve the issue through sufficient discussion and dialogue with the medical community," and added, "The government is shifting all responsibility for the current situation onto doctors and is showing only an uncommunicative approach, attempting to solve the problem solely through punishment."

He continued, "The government mentioned that for residents who have not returned to medical sites since March, a minimum three-month license suspension and related judicial procedures are inevitable, and threatened that the license suspension would be recorded and could affect future career paths such as overseas employment," criticizing, "This is an unbelievable level of intimidation warning medical students and residents who hope to continue their medical careers even abroad that their freedom of residence and choice of occupation could be deprived."

Commissioner Joo warned, "If license suspensions and judicial procedures are carried out against residents, it would be an act that destroys all bridges for residents to return to hospitals and would lead to the complete collapse of Korean healthcare," adding, "If residents are harmed, the anger of all physician members will reach its peak, making chaos in the Korean medical field inevitable."

He also left a message of appeal to university presidents with medical schools and medical graduate schools. He said, "Currently, students are losing hope, submitting leave of absence requests, and refusing classes. If universities apply for additional medical school quota increases, students will no longer be able to return to school, and next year, not a single doctor may be produced," urging, "Until this situation is resolved, I hope universities will strive not to succumb to pressure from the Ministry of Education."

He further emphasized, "The government should take responsibility for causing this situation and act with a spirit of resolving the problem," and stressed, "Doctors are ready to meet and talk anytime if the government shows a progressive change in stance, so please help doctors return to the side of the people."

When asked by reporters whether he would support an increase in quota if the scale is adjusted, he replied, "We have re-examined the diagnosis from the beginning, and if an increase is necessary, it can be done," but added, "However, if both sides review it together, I am confident that the conclusion will not be that an increase in medical school quotas is necessary."

Criticism also followed regarding Park Min-su, the 2nd Vice Minister of Health and Welfare's remark during the government briefing that morning, "Please form a consultative body that can represent the medical community." Commissioner Joo said, "The highest decision-making body of the KMA is the General Assembly, and the Delegates' Council includes not only private practitioners but also residents, public health doctors, and professors. Since the Emergency Response Committee was authorized with full power to fight by the General Assembly's resolution, there is no need to form another consultative body outside the KMA."

He added, "We have been continuously communicating with the Professors' Council and the Medical Students' Emergency Committee, and the head of the Residents' Emergency Committee is a member of our KMA Emergency Committee. If the government continues to play tricks as if the KMA is just an organization of some private practitioners, dialogue will be impossible."

Meanwhile, Commissioner Joo refuted a report stating that only 24.9% of professors at Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine opposed increasing medical school quotas, calling it inaccurate. He explained, "First, including contract professors, there are over 1,000 affiliated professors, but the survey targeted only about 200, so it lacks representativeness. Also, the full survey includes four more questions beyond those disclosed in the media."

According to Commissioner Joo, the survey results showed that over 70% of professors accepted the current situation where residents have left hospitals, with only 9.8% opposing. Professors supporting medical students' collective leave of absence accounted for 68.7%, those supporting class refusal after enrollment were 13.2%, and opposition to collective action by medical students was only 19.7%.

When asked about future responses if the residents' work gap continues and the government's stance does not change, 53.8% of professors reportedly answered, "Professors will also refuse to work, including resignations." The survey showed 34.6% responded they would "maintain backup work as is," and 2.9% said they would "request residents to return to work."

Commissioner Joo said, "After the media report, professors at Samsung Medical Center are very angry and embarrassed. It was reported as if all professors at Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine and Samsung Medical Center agreed with the government's policy," and added, "Many professors affiliated with Samsung Medical Center have reported that the actual survey results differ from the media reports."

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