The Government Also Responds... Han Deok-su Announces "Additional Support for 247 Public Health Doctors and Military Medical Officers"

Next Month, 'Senior Uisa Support Center' to Open
Emergency Care Further Expanded Amid Resident and Professor Opposition

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is speaking about the withdrawal of medical school professors' resignations at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting related to the medical community's collective action held on the 22nd at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yong-jun jun21@

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo stated on the 22nd that he will see through the increase in medical school quotas to the end and reiterated his commitment. He also said that on the 25th, an additional 247 public health doctors and military medical officers will be deployed to fill the medical gap caused by the collective action of the medical community.

On the morning of the same day, Prime Minister Han presided over a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters for the doctors' collective action at the Government Seoul Office and said, "The government will do its best to ensure that the emergency medical system operates smoothly until the medical gap is resolved."

On the 20th, Prime Minister Han announced a public address on medical reform, confirming the plan to increase medical school quotas by 2,000, calling it the "minimum number." However, as collective actions by residents and medical school professors continued, he held another Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting two days later to reaffirm his determination.

He emphasized, "The emergency medical system is functioning under difficult conditions thanks to the dedication of the medical staff who remain at hospitals," adding, "Supporting their working conditions as much as possible is an urgent task."

To this end, Prime Minister Han announced a plan to first provide additional support of 247 public health doctors and military medical officers starting next week. Including the 166 personnel previously supported by the government, the total support personnel will reach 413.

Additionally, next month, the government plans to open a "Senior Doctor Support Center" at the National Medical Center to support medical institutions that newly hire senior doctors or continue to employ doctors who are about to retire.

This is interpreted as a determination to continue medical reform and maintain the emergency medical system despite the collective resignation of residents and medical school professors.

Prime Minister Han stressed, "Medical reform is a heavy mandate given to the government by the people," and said, "The government will complete the task entrusted by the people for the people, with the people."

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is speaking about the withdrawal of medical school professors' resignations at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting related to the medical community's collective action held on the 22nd at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yong-jun jun21@

However, Prime Minister Han also explained that he will actively work to improve the working conditions of residents.

At a policy discussion on improving residents' treatment held the day before, he said, "Many people requested significant reductions in residents' continuous working hours (36 hours) and expanded support for training costs in pediatrics and adolescent medicine," adding, "We will reflect these opinions as much as possible to improve working conditions and create a medical system where proper training is possible."

Regarding the quota allocation centered on non-metropolitan and national university medical schools, which was announced earlier in the public address, Prime Minister Han emphasized, "It will form the foundation for establishing a regionally self-sufficient medical system."

He explained, "We will thoroughly prepare support measures to ensure that the quality of medical education does not decline and that the process proceeds smoothly due to the increase," and added, "We will expand regional clinical education training centers at all national university hospitals so that graduates of local medical schools can receive training at hospitals within their respective regions."

He continued, "We will continuously manage the quality of training by investigating and supplementing training conditions every three years," and added, "We will promptly establish a comprehensive annual support plan at the government-wide level."

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