KMA "Regret over Emergency Room Doctors' 'Blacklist'... Urging Suspension"

"Intervention to Mediate Conflicts Among Members in Case of Damage Occurrence"

The Korean Medical Association (KMA) expressed regret over the distribution of a blacklist revealing the real names of emergency room doctors and urged its members to cease such actions.

On the 4th, a patient is being transported near the Emergency Medical Center at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 10th, the KMA stated in a press release, "We express serious regret over the conflicts arising within the medical community and the concerns caused to the public due to the creation and distribution of the so-called 'List of Appreciated Doctors,' also known as the emergency room blacklist."

It added, "While we fully understand the desperation of the members who compiled the list, it is undesirable to attack, criticize, and hurt colleagues simply because opinions differ. The medical community, which protects the lives and health of the public, must reflect and self-examine more deeply in such situations."

Furthermore, it urged, "We must keep in mind that forming a united front to oppose the government's misguided policies and speaking with one voice is the only solution to the current situation."

The KMA plans to mediate to resolve conflicts among members if cases of harm due to the list's distribution occur.

However, the association considers the police investigation into the blacklist unjust. The KMA stated, "We regret the police's behavior of selectively identifying investigation targets based on the government's interests without the victims of the list's distribution filing direct complaints," and added, "The police must immediately stop their shameless investigation that politically exploits personal issues among KMA members, turning both sides into victims."

In particular, the KMA claimed that the government provided the impetus for creating the blacklist. It pointed out, "It is rightfully condemnable that the government is trying to shift the responsibility for the current medical crisis onto the medical community by exploiting the deviant actions of a very small number of doctors," and noted, "The repeated use of various inducements and threats by the government to resolve the medical crisis triggered by its flawed medical policies is the cause of conflicts within the medical community."

Previously, on an internet site presumed to have been created by doctors, a list titled 'Emergency Room Collaborators' was posted, showing some staff members working in emergency rooms by hospital. This site, titled 'List of Appreciated Doctors,' collects information on doctors currently on duty and not leaving the field and updates it weekly.

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