"Medical Association and Residents Absent, but 'Ruling and Opposition Medical Council' Scheduled to Launch on the 11th"

Medical Associations and Medical School Associations Likely to Participate

The People Power Party has announced the launch of a 'Ruling and Opposition Medical Council Consultative Body' on the 11th to discuss the increase in medical school admissions and the medical disruption crisis, but the medical community remains divided over whether to participate.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the medical community on the 4th, the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences and the Korean Association of Medical Colleges and Medical Schools (KAMC·Medical School Association) are likely to participate in the ruling and opposition consultative body as previously stated, but the Korean Medical Association (KMA) and the Korean Intern Resident Association (KIRA) continue to maintain their stance of non-participation.

Earlier, the Academy and KAMC were the first among medical organizations to officially express their intention to participate in the consultative body, setting the precondition that medical students' leaves of absence be approved unconditionally. With the Ministry of Education announcing that the approval of medical students' leaves of absence would be left to each university's discretion, the conditions set by the Academy and KAMC have been met, increasing the likelihood of the consultative body's launch.

While aware of various concerns within the medical community, the Academy and KAMC have emphasized that resolving the crisis is the priority. In a statement released on the 29th of last month, they said, "If discussions on the current issues do not begin, the collapse of South Korea's medical system is an unmistakable reality," and expressed hope that "the Democratic Party of Korea will participate in the consultative body so that all parties involved in the 'Ruling and Opposition Medical Council Consultative Body' engage sincerely in discussions and reach meaningful conclusions."

However, residents and medical school professors, who hold the key to resolving the crisis, maintain their stance that they will not participate in the consultative body unless the increase in medical school admissions for next year is reconsidered. The Emergency Committee of Professors of Medical Schools Nationwide (Jeon-ui-bi) stated, "The most important agenda in the consultative body is the readjustment of medical school admissions for 2025, and unless there is discussion related to this, there will be no change in our position." The KMA also said, "(The stance of) non-participation will not change."

Amid the divided opinions within the medical community, the KMA's plan to put to a vote the transition to an emergency committee system is another variable. If KMA President Im Hyun-taek is impeached on the 10th and the organization transitions to an emergency committee system, there is speculation that discussions with the government could accelerate. A medical community official said, "There is a consensus that if the emergency committee is launched, residents will also participate in the dialogue," adding, "There is a possibility that the KMA and professor groups will participate in the consultative body to raise the medical community's voice regarding the adjustment of medical school admissions in 2026 and beyond."

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