KMA "Reconsider Suspension of Medical Services if Government Changes Position"

"Wait for the government's position until the 18th, then respond accordingly"

With the collective medical strike scheduled for the 18th approaching, the Korean Medical Association (KMA) announced that it would reconsider the strike if there is a change in the government's stance.

Choi Anna, spokesperson for the Korea Medical Association, is giving a briefing on the joint meeting held on the 13th afternoon at the Korea Medical Association Hall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, with the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences, the National Council of Medical School Professors, and the Emergency Committee of National Medical School Professors to address medical issues.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 13th, the KMA held a joint meeting at the KMA headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, with the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences, the National Council of Medical School Professors (Jeon-ui-gyo-hyeop), the Emergency Committee of National Medical School Professors (Jeon-ui-bi), and representatives of the Seoul Medical School Emergency Committee. After the meeting, they made this announcement during a briefing. Anna Choi, the KMA spokesperson, said, "There is not much time left. If the government does not show any change in position by this weekend, we will not be able to prevent the nationwide strike scheduled for next week," adding, "It is time for the government to respond."

When asked by reporters about what specific changes in position they expect, she replied, "The KMA should be the single channel through which the medical community's demands are re-discussed, and the specifics are still under discussion."

Choi also stated, "The biggest obstacle in this situation is that the government has dismissed the KMA as an organization representing private practitioners and has only negotiated with other groups such as some universities or hospitals," adding, "At today's joint meeting, all professions including professors agreed to establish a single channel centered on the KMA."

However, the Korean Intern Resident Association (Daejeon-hyeop) and other resident groups did not attend the joint meeting. Choi said, "The results of the meeting are being shared with the resident groups."

The KMA plans to finalize and announce specific demands to the government, such as 'cancellation of administrative sanctions against residents' and 're-discussion of medical school quota increases from the beginning,' by tomorrow at the latest. Choi said the demands will include 're-discussion of medical school quota increases from the beginning' and 'cancellation of administrative sanctions such as license revocation for residents,' adding, "We are discussing what content to receive a response on and by when, and whether to set the strike schedule afterward."

If there is no change in the government's position, they also announced plans to form a pan-medical community countermeasure committee. Choi said, "We will wait once more for the government's position until the 18th and respond accordingly," adding, "If the position does not change, we will form a pan-medical community countermeasure committee including the organizations attending the joint meeting and city/provincial medical associations to respond."

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