Difficult Launch of the Ruling and Opposition Medical Council... President of the Korean Medical Association Says, "Participation Requires Approval of Leave of Absence and Discussion of Next Year's Quota"

Postponed Decision on Participation in National Medical Professors Association
Approval of Leave of Absence and Reconsideration of Next Year's Enrollment Increase Also Viewed Skeptically
Ruling and Opposition Parties' Political Stances Diverge

The launch of the ruling and opposition parties' medical council, which had raised expectations as some medical organizations expressed willingness to participate, is once again at risk of being canceled. While the government maintains its stance that the conditions set by these organizations for dialogue?'approval of medical students' alliance leave of absence' and 'reconsideration of medical school quotas in 2025'?are unacceptable, professors from medical schools nationwide have decided to postpone their decision on participating in the council. Residents and medical students, who are the main forces behind collective action in the medical community, also continue to refuse participation.

According to the medical community on the 24th, after the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences and the Korean Association of Medical Colleges and Medical Schools (KAMC) decided to participate in the ruling and opposition parties' medical council on the 22nd, other organizations that had not previously expressed their positions began reconsidering their participation.

The organizations requested by the People Power Party to participate in the council include the Korean Intern Resident Association (KIRA), the Korean Medical Students Association (KMSA), the Council of Tertiary Hospitals, the Korea Hospital Association, the Council of Training Hospitals, the Korean Medical Association (KMA), the National Association of Medical School Professors (NAMSP), the Emergency Committee of National Medical School Professors (ECNMSP), the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences, KAMC, and the 'Big 5' hospitals: Seoul National University Hospital, Severance Hospital, Samsung Medical Center, Asan Medical Center, and Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, totaling 15 organizations.

The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences and KAMC initially demanded five conditions for participating in the council: ▲approval of medical students' leave of absence before the council's launch ▲discussion of medical school quotas for 2025 and 2026 and legislation of a physician quota estimation body ▲respect for the autonomy of medical students' residency training institutions and national support to enhance training quality ▲guarantee of independence for the Korea Institute of Medical Education and Evaluation (KIMEE) ▲reorganization of the Special Committee on Medical Reform.

Lee Jin-woo, president of the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences (professor at Yonsei University College of Medicine), stated in a phone interview with Asia Economy, "The government must accept these demands from the medical community for discussions to progress," clearly indicating that the launch of the council depends on the government's attitude.

Lee Jong-tae, chairman of KAMC (emeritus professor at Inje University College of Medicine), explained, "Currently, residents and students do not trust the government itself, so even if the council starts immediately, participation is not expected. We will prepare sincerely within the council, and at some point, residents and students will join, and ultimately, it will be finalized when everyone agrees."

However, regarding these demands from the medical community, Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyu-hong said at the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee's audit the day before, "Leave of absence applications must be processed according to laws and school regulations. Alliance leave of absence is not a legitimate reason for leave, so the Ministry of Education's position to approve it after verification procedures has no major objections."

Regarding the increase in medical school admission quotas, he said, "It is impossible to adjust the increase for the 2025 academic year, but the quota for 2026 can be flexible," adding, "Due to academic schedules and admission procedures, it is difficult to state clearly here, but we will listen to opinions sufficiently."

Minister Cho also responded to lawmakers' questions about whether the medical crisis could end within this year by saying, "If the ruling and opposition parties' medical council operates, I think it will be resolved more quickly. We will strive to resolve it within the year."

The positions of the ruling and opposition political parties also differ. Han Ji-a, senior spokesperson for the People Power Party, said, "Residents who resigned are afraid to participate directly because they might be exposed to a doctor blacklist, even if they want to participate in the council," adding, "Since practical discussions with the medical community are currently underway, we aim to launch the council by next week."

On the other hand, Jin Sung-jun, policy chief of the Democratic Party of Korea, said, "For the council to launch, first, the government's attitude must change, and second, resident participation is important," evaluating, "The government must show a progressive change in stance for the situation to be resolved, but currently, participation seems difficult."

Meanwhile, the National Association of Medical School Professors (NAMSP) held an emergency general meeting on the evening of the 23rd to discuss participation in the ruling and opposition parties' medical council but postponed the decision without reaching a conclusion. NAMSP stated, "The council should be composed of medical organizations that can reflect the opinions of residents and students," and "The government should also have appropriate personnel participating who are not the parties responsible for triggering the medical crisis but suitable for resolving the problem."

Other medical organizations also maintain negative positions. The Korean Medical Association and the Emergency Committee of National Medical School Professors clearly stated their refusal to participate. Park Dan, chairman of the Emergency Committee of the Korean Intern Resident Association, posted on social media along with three co-chairs of the Korean Medical Students Association, saying, "We have no intention of participating in a hollow council."

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