Doctors Gathered in Yeouido Opposing Medical School Expansion... Police "Firm Response to Illegal Acts"

The Korea Medical Association (KMA), opposing the increase in medical school quotas, held a large-scale rally on the 3rd in Yeouido, Seoul. The police announced that they have imposed travel bans on four individuals related to the KMA's emergency response committee and stated that they will respond strictly to any illegal situations arising during the rally. Despite the government’s deadline for residents to return (last month on the 29th) having passed, there has been no clear sign of their return, and the standoff between the government and doctors is expected to continue for the time being.

On the afternoon of the 3rd, a nationwide doctors' general rally is being held near Yeouidaero next to Yeouido Park in Seoul to oppose the increase in medical school quotas and the essential medical package. [Image source=Yonhap News]

KMA Emergency Committee Condemns Unilateral Medical School Quota Increase

At the 'National Doctors' General Rally' held at Yeouidaero near Yeouido Park in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul at 2 p.m. that day, Kim Taek-woo, chairman of the KMA Emergency Response Committee, said, "The government has decided to unilaterally push forward a policy that doctors absolutely cannot accept under the name of ‘medical reform.’" He added, "If the government wants to promptly resolve the public inconvenience and anxiety occurring in the medical field, it must engage in unconditional dialogue with the emergency committee, including residents, to find a solution."

Chairman Kim said, "Neither the residents nor the emergency committee want or encourage a medical catastrophe. The government’s reckless policy push must not lead to unfortunate incidents that take precious lives of the people," and added, "We solemnly warn that if the government ignores these efforts by doctors and instead tries to suppress them, it will face strong nationwide resistance."

The KMA emergency committee estimated that 20,000 people attended the rally that day. Participants shouted slogans opposing the increase in medical school quotas such as "Indiscriminate increase in medical school quotas will collapse quality healthcare" and "The victims of baseless doctor quota increases are the people."

The KMA emergency committee demanded ▲reconsideration of the medical school quota increase from the starting point ▲immediate halt to the hasty increase of 2,000 medical school quotas ▲immediate suspension of the essential medical policy package. In their resolution, they stated, "We strongly oppose the government’s hasty push to increase medical school quotas and the unreasonable essential medical policy package," warning that "If doctors are increased by 2,000 abruptly without prior preparation and investment in educational conditions and facility infrastructure, the resulting increase in medical expenses, health insurance premiums, and other social costs will directly harm the public."

On the afternoon of the 3rd, participants are shouting slogans at the National Doctors' General Rally hosted by the Korean Medical Association held on Yeouidaero, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Police Impose Travel Ban on 4 KMA Officials: "Will Firmly Respond to Illegal Acts"

At the doctors’ rally that day, the police clearly stated their position to firmly respond to any illegal matters. The National Police Agency issued a statement saying, "We judge that this medical sector issue seriously threatens the safety of the public’s life and body," and added, "We will manage the situation to prevent noise and traffic inconvenience caused by the large gathering."

In particular, as suspicions arose that doctors mobilized pharmaceutical sales representatives, the National Police Agency emphasized, "We will strictly respond to the ‘allegations of forced attendance of pharmaceutical company sales representatives’ reported by some media."

Regarding this, Joo Su-ho, the KMA emergency committee’s public relations officer, denied the allegations but said that it has not been confirmed whether there was any deviation by general members. He said, "Neither the emergency committee nor the 16 city and provincial medical associations, nor the city, county, and district medical associations instructed or demanded the mobilization of pharmaceutical company employees," but added, "While we have not confirmed whether there were deviations by general members, it is not confirmed whether it was coerced or if pharmaceutical company employees came voluntarily."

Additionally, among the five current and former KMA officials reported to the police by the Ministry of Health and Welfare for violating work commencement orders and for instigating or aiding obstruction of work, four have been subjected to travel bans. Seoul Police Chief Jo Ji-ho told reporters that day, "We conducted searches of the KMA office and related officials’ residences and requested their attendance," adding, "We requested travel bans for four individuals." He further stated, "We will mobilize all available investigative resources to conduct a swift and thorough investigation."

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Metropolitan Investigation Unit Public Crime Investigation Division, which is investigating this case, conducted searches on the 1st of Kim Taek-woo, chairman of the KMA emergency committee; Joo Su-ho, public relations officer; Park Myung-ha, chairman of the organization reinforcement committee; Lim Hyun-taek, president of the Korean Pediatric Society; and Roh Hwan-gyu, former KMA president.

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