'Death is the People' Former Medical Association President: "President Yoon Has Driven a Stake into the Medical Heart"

Strong Criticism Over Government's Confirmation to Increase Staff by 2,000
"If You Abandon Your Grief, There Is Nothing to Be Sad About"

On the 20th, as the government allocated 2,000 additional medical school admissions for this year to each medical school, Roh Hwan-gyu, former president of the Korean Medical Association, criticized, saying, "Yoon Seok-yeol (the President) has finally driven a stake into the heart of South Korean healthcare." Former President Roh has strongly opposed the government's policy to increase medical school admissions. He recently wrote on social networking service (SNS), "The government cannot defeat doctors," adding, "The very idea that they thought they could defeat doctors is absurdly foolish."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the day the medical school allocations were made, he also strongly criticized the government. Former President Roh wrote on his Facebook, "Given that it was expected to proceed based on that person's character, it is not that surprising." He said, "What is astonishing is not Joseon but that such a thing happened in South Korea in 2024," and added, "Only doctors know that this is driving a stake into the heart of healthcare, and it is surprising that even when experts speak out, the public does not believe it."

Former President Roh stated, "In the end, it is not the doctors who will die. Doctors will find ways to survive, whether in this land or abroad," and said, "It is the people who will die. Therefore, if doctors abandon their grieving hearts, there is nothing to be sad about."

Earlier, the government confirmed the increase of 2,000 admissions through a public address by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. Of the 2,000, 82% (1,639) were allocated to non-metropolitan areas, and 18% (361) to Incheon and Gyeonggi. Prime Minister Han said, "Considering educational conditions and regional medical realities, the increase scale was set at 2,000," and added, "The increase of 2,000 medical school admissions is the minimum number to solve the shortage of doctors."

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