Government Urges Medical Students to Resume Studies "Establishing Education Plans Including Hiring Professors and Securing Classrooms"

As it has been one year since medical students collectively took a leave of absence in protest against the increase in medical school admissions, the government has once again urged the medical students to return to their studies.

On the 21st, Lee Han-kyung, the 2nd General Coordinator of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Head of the Disaster and Safety Management Headquarters, Ministry of the Interior and Safety), stated at the 'Doctors' Collective Action Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters Meeting' held at the Central Disaster and Safety Situation Room in the Government Sejong Complex, "It is very regrettable that many residents who will lead the future of medical care in the Republic of Korea have stopped their training and many medical students have halted their studies," adding, "Now, we hope that the medical students will promptly return to their studies."

Lee Hangyeong, the 2nd General Coordinator of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Director of the Disaster and Safety Management Headquarters, Ministry of the Interior and Safety), is presiding over the "Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters Meeting on Medical Staff Collective Action" held on the morning of the 21st at the Central Disaster and Safety Situation Room in the Government Sejong Complex. Provided by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety

Lee said, "The government is closely communicating with universities and meticulously preparing to ensure that students can receive their education without disruption," and added, "For new medical students and those returning, each university is establishing specific educational plans for medical students, including hiring additional professors, securing lecture rooms, and providing equipment."

Regarding the legislation of the Medical Workforce Supply and Demand Estimation Organization to discuss the scale of medical personnel supply and demand, including medical school quotas, he said, "We hope this will be a starting point to untangle the complicated knot of medical-government conflicts," and "The government will actively work to ensure that the related bills are promptly processed in the National Assembly."

Lee stated, "Medical reform aims to strengthen essential and regional medical care so that citizens can receive necessary treatment anytime and anywhere," and added, "To this end, the Medical Reform Special Committee was launched in April last year to discuss medical reform tasks." He continued, "In August last year, the first implementation plan, including the structural transformation of tertiary general hospitals, was announced and is being executed," and explained, "The second implementation plan for medical reform, which includes fostering regional hospitals and reforming indemnity insurance, is also being finalized." He then said, "Now, everyone must come together with wisdom and effort to promptly normalize the medical system."

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