Ruling Party Launches Open-Ended Talks with Opposition... Party and Government Urge Medical Community to Join Consecutively

Party Leadership Meets Medical Organizations to Discuss Ruling and Opposition Parliamentary Consultative Body
Ruling Party and Government Hold High-Level Consultative Meeting to Devise Measures

Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People Power Party, mentioned the launch of the bipartisan parliamentary consultative body before Chuseok, taking a bold stance by saying, "We will engage in dialogue without any preconditions," and "We will keep the door open to the medical community." This is interpreted as an intention to alleviate public concerns over the medical crisis during the Chuseok holiday while maintaining leadership in the discussions. Following visits to university hospital emergency rooms, the ruling party leadership plans to meet with medical organizations and prepare proposals to present to the government and the medical community to resolve the medical service gap, urging participation in the bipartisan parliamentary consultative body.

According to the ruling party on the 12th, Kim Sang-hoon, chairman of the Policy Committee, In Yo-han, member of the Special Committee on Medical Reform, and Han Ji-a, a member of the special committee, are scheduled to meet with the Korea Association of Medical Colleges (KAMC) in the morning to discuss participation in the bipartisan parliamentary consultative body. KAMC is an organization composed of medical school deans and is one of the groups positively considering participation in the consultative body.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The ruling party leadership, including Leader Han, intends to launch the bipartisan parliamentary consultative body even if only some medical organizations like KAMC participate. After visiting Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital the previous day, Leader Han told reporters, "Even if many representatives from the medical community do not participate from the beginning, if there are organizations willing to participate partially, we should start first and allow others from the medical community and medical organizations to join during the discussion process," adding, "Waiting until a certain number of medical organizations participate is not feasible given the urgent situation." Besides KAMC, it is known that the Council of Tertiary Hospitals is also positively considering participation in the consultative body.

The government and ruling party plan to hold a high-level party-government meeting at the National Assembly at 1 p.m. on the same day to discuss emergency medical measures for Chuseok and the formation of the bipartisan parliamentary consultative body. Attendees will include Floor Leader Choo Kyung-ho, Policy Committee Chairman Kim Sang-hoon, secretaries from the National Assembly’s Health and Welfare Committee, Education Committee, and Special Committee on Budget and Accounts, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Lee Ju-ho, Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyu-hong, Director of the Office for Government Policy Coordination Bang Ki-seon, and Second Vice Minister of Planning and Budget Kim Yoon-sang, among other senior party and government officials. Measures to preserve hospital fees and improve treatment for emergency medical personnel, including exemption regulations, will also be prepared at this meeting.

In particular, the meeting is expected to discuss conditions set by the medical community for participation, such as the postponement of medical school enrollment increases for the 2025 academic year and accountability for responsible parties. Key stakeholders like the Korean Intern Resident Association and the Korea Medical Students Association have not issued official positions, and the opposition party views the launch of the consultative body with only partial participation negatively. There are differing opinions even within the party and government on various agenda items, raising doubts about whether meaningful discussions will take place in the bipartisan parliamentary consultative body.

Currently, Leader Han has stated that he will not impose restrictions on any agenda and urges participation in the consultative body, but the government and ruling party floor leadership respond that postponing the increase in medical school enrollment for the 2025 academic year is practically impossible. Jang Sang-yoon, senior secretary for social affairs at the presidential office, appeared on SBS radio and dismissed the idea of postponing or adjusting the 2025 medical school enrollment increase, saying, "It is unacceptable to students and parents currently preparing for entrance exams to reverse or adjust this matter at this stage."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Debate Within Ruling Party Over Postponement of 2025 Medical School Enrollment Increase

Meanwhile, debate continues within the ruling party over whether to postpone the increase in medical school enrollment for the 2025 academic year. Ahn Cheol-soo, a lawmaker with a medical background, held a press conference at the National Assembly communication office on the same day, criticizing the government's stance that the 2025 quota cannot be changed, saying, "The government's position that the 2025 quota is unchangeable is not a solution." Ahn stated, "If fourth-year medical students refuse classes and cannot take the medical licensing exam early next year, 3,000 doctors who should be supplied annually will disappear, and since residents have given up training, the supply of 2,800 specialists will also stop," urging the government to make a decisive move.

In response to a reporter's question about potential harm to students who have already started university entrance exams, Ahn said, "We are in a situation where we must choose between two social harms (entrance exams and the medical system)," adding, "When considering life-and-death issues and livelihood issues, the normalization of the medical system, which is a matter of life and death for the people, must come first."

Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo posted on Facebook immediately after Ahn's press conference, strongly criticizing Ahn's claims. Hong said, "Ahn, a doctor-turned-lawmaker, is undermining the Yoon Seok-youl administration's medical reform policies and only siding with doctors, which is not a solution to the medical crisis," and questioned, "Even some senior opposition lawmakers support increasing medical school enrollment, so does it make sense to call for a postponement now?"

He continued, "I expected him to actively intervene early in the medical crisis to mediate, but his late involvement is only adding to the confusion," and added, "It would be truly appreciated if he could be more thoughtful and contribute to national policy-making as a politician beyond his professional affiliation."

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