Seoul National University Professors: "Medical School Professors Agree with Purpose but Should Not Go on Collective Strike"

"As a medical professional, efforts will not go to waste"

The Seoul National University Professors' Association appealed that medical school professors should not participate in the collective strike but rather devote themselves to reforms in medical care and education fields.

Seoul National University Main Gate, Gwanak-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

On the 9th, the Seoul National University Professors' Association stated in a position paper, "The collective strike, which causes great harm to patients, should be restrained as it can nullify the principles and efforts upheld as medical professionals so far," and added, "Medical school professors should stay on the front lines and, together with the Professors' Association, continuously point out the problems in medical and educational policies so that the medical system supported by the majority of the public, along with related education and admission systems, can be reformed." They further noted, "The hardline measures of the medical community carry an undemocratic risk of provoking extreme responses from the other side."

They also expressed concern that not only the medical community but also the education and industrial sectors are not prepared to accept the increase in medical school admissions. The Professors' Association said, "If medical school professors are considering a strike despite social criticism to protect residents and students, it shows how serious the situation is," and added, "A sudden increase in medical school admissions under the current education and admission system, where students choose universities and majors for survival, is feared to cause the hollowing out of science and engineering fields, destruction of the academic ecosystem, weakening of the government's science and engineering promotion policies, a massive increase in private education expenses, further polarization and ranking within medical schools, and the extinction of regional universities."

They urged, "The government should promptly prepare reform policies covering medical care, education, and admissions, in addition to the resident protection measures announced last week."

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