"Profound Responsibility for Failing to Prevent Catastrophe"…433 Professors from Ulsan College of Medicine Submit Resignations

Emergency Committee to Issue Statement on 25th... No Resignation Letters Submitted to Universities Currently

The Emergency Response Committee of the Ulsan University College of Medicine Professors' Association announced in a statement on the 25th that "out of 767 professors at the College of Medicine, 433 will submit their resignations." There are a total of 767 professors working at three training hospitals affiliated with Ulsan College of Medicine: 528 at Seoul Asan Hospital, 151 at Ulsan University Hospital, and 88 at Gangneung Asan Hospital.

On the 25th, when the collective resignation of medical school professors nationwide began, a healthcare worker was moving at a university hospital in Daegu. 2024.3.25 [Photo by Yonhap News]

The Emergency Response Committee stated, "Due to the increase of 2,000 medical school admissions, the past month of medical disruption has caused the professors' mental and physical fatigue to reach an unbearable level."

They also claimed, "The government's decision to allocate the increased 2,000 medical school admissions by university, thereby making it a fait accompli, disregards the efforts of professors who have tried to prevent a catastrophe and shows the government's arrogance in lightly valuing the lives and safety of the people."

Finally, they said, "We deeply regret our failure to prevent this catastrophe and will resign from our professorships, leaving the training hospitals and affiliated universities after completing patient care responsibilities," and raised their voices demanding, "The government must withdraw the baseless increase and create a sincere platform for dialogue." It is reported that as of this day, no resignation letters have actually been submitted to the universities.

Statement of the Emergency Response Committee of the Ulsan University College of Medicine Professors' Association.

Earlier, on the 7th, the Emergency Response Committee of the Ulsan College of Medicine Professors' Association resolved at an emergency general meeting that all faculty members would voluntarily submit resignation letters, and they have been collecting resignation letters from professors at the three training hospitals.

In addition to Ulsan College of Medicine, medical school professors nationwide have begun submitting resignation letters as scheduled from this day. At Chungbuk National University Hospital, the only tertiary hospital in Chungbuk, about 20 professors have submitted resignations so far, and about 30 professors at Chungbuk National University College of Medicine have also submitted resignation letters.

Some professors in the Gangwon region have also been confirmed to have submitted resignation letters.

According to the Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine Professors' Council, 8 out of 10 professors in some essential medical departments submitted resignation letters last week. The Wonju College of Medicine Professors' Council issued a resolution and announced that resignation letters will be submitted sequentially from this day until the 27th.

In their resolution, they stated, "As doctors, educators, and members of the public, it is our duty to set Korean healthcare right. Therefore, the professors of Wonju College of Medicine intend to voluntarily submit resignation letters on the 25th to oppose the government's autocracy that refuses to resolve issues through dialogue and to protect residents and students from the forthcoming government oppression."

Professors at Chosun University College of Medicine also submitted resignation letters to the Professors' Council amounting to about 10% of the total by the morning, and it is expected that a significant number will submit resignations thereafter.

From early this month, professors at Chungnam National University, Konyang University, Ajou University, Pusan National University, Chonnam National University, Wonkwang University, and Jeonbuk National University Colleges of Medicine, who agreed to submit resignation letters through emergency surveys by university, are also expected to resign as scheduled from this day.

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