'Accused of Coercing Collective Resignation of Residents' Joo Suho, Former KMA Executive, Appears Before Police

"Fairly Determine Right and Wrong... Medical School Expansion Must Be Cancelled"

Joo Su-ho, former chairman of the Emergency Response Committee's Public Relations Committee at the Korea Medical Association (KMA), who is under investigation for allegedly inciting the collective resignation of residents, appeared at the police station on the 25th.

Former Korea Medical Association Emergency Response Committee Public Relations Chairman Joo Su-ho is answering questions from reporters as he appears at the Public Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Mapo-gu, Seoul on the morning of the 25th for a related investigation.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Public Crime Investigation Unit summoned former Chairman Joo to the Metropolitan Investigation Division office in Mapo-gu, Seoul, at 10 a.m. for questioning. Joo had previously been questioned by the police three times in March.

Before the investigation, Joo told reporters, "The mandatory (automatic) designation system for long-term care institutions is not only an unconstitutional system that restricts the public's right to choose but also a system that inevitably leads to the collapse of medical care in the Republic of Korea, which doctors have long asserted. Junior doctors, having awakened to this, judged that becoming specialists would be meaningless if the distorted system is not improved and the medical school quota is increased, so they voluntarily gave up their residency training."

He added, "If I am brought to court on the charge that I incited them, I will not evade it and will face it honorably to clarify right and wrong."

Furthermore, Chairman Joo said, "I would like to say a word to the President. Please hold the Minister of Health and Welfare, who decided on the baseless increase of the medical school quota, accountable by dismissing him and canceling the increase, so that doctors can take the lead in reviving medical care in the Republic of Korea."

The police plan to conclude this month the case in which the Ministry of Health and Welfare filed complaints in February against current and former KMA executives for violations of the Medical Service Act, obstruction of business under the Criminal Act, incitement, and aiding and abetting.

On the 20th of last month, the police additionally summoned Im Hyun-taek, president of the KMA, who was also accused along with former Chairman Joo, and on the 10th and 20th of this month, they summoned Park Myung-ha, former chairman of the KMA Emergency Response Committee's Organizational Strengthening Committee, and Kim Taek-woo, former member of the KMA Emergency Response Committee, respectively, for questioning.

Cho Ji-ho, appointed as the Commissioner of the National Police Agency and currently head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, said at a regular press briefing on the 15th, "We investigated KMA officials last week, and after summoning about two more people, the investigation will be concluded. It is expected to be wrapped up within this month."

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