President Yoon: "Expanding Medical Personnel is an Urgent Task That Cannot Be Delayed"

President Yoon Suk-yeol is speaking at the Cabinet meeting held on the 6th at the Yongsan Presidential Office Building in Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

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On the morning of the 6th, President Yoon Suk-yeol presided over a Cabinet meeting at the Yongsan Presidential Office, stating, "Expanding the number of doctors to protect the health and lives of the people is an urgent task that can no longer be delayed," and called for cooperation from the medical community to promote medical reform. It is estimated that about 15,000 doctors will be needed by 2035, including medical personnel to respond to rapid aging and demand in the healthcare industry, so the government intends to accelerate related policies such as expanding the number of doctors.

Earlier, the government announced the 'Four Major Medical Reform Packages,' which include ▲expanding medical personnel ▲strengthening regional healthcare ▲establishing a safety net for medical accidents ▲enhancing fairness in the compensation system. To this end, the government plans to enact the 'Medical Accident Handling Special Act' to allow doctors in essential medical fields to practice with confidence, introducing a pre-litigation mediation system (which requires court mediation procedures before deciding on certain matters) and a liability insurance system, and to establish a fair compensation system for essential medical care through public policy medical fees. The Ministry of Health and Welfare will announce the specific scale of medical school quota expansion later that afternoon.

President Yoon also presented measures to address regional healthcare disparities. He emphasized, "We will properly invest in regional hospitals so that people can receive treatment from good hospitals and doctors no matter where they live nationwide, and allocate quotas centered on regional medical schools to strengthen regional healthcare." Addressing opposition from the medical community, President Yoon said, "I ask for the cooperation of the medical community in medical reform to protect not only the lives and health of the people but also the future of this country."

Additionally, President Yoon announced a special pardon for about 450,000 people in celebration of the Lunar New Year. He explained, "Today’s Cabinet meeting will include agenda items on special pardons, sentence reductions, and reinstatements," adding, "Although five businesspeople and seven politicians are included in this pardon, the main focus is on revitalizing the livelihood economy."

President Yoon stated, "We will specially reduce administrative sanctions on driver's licenses and promote the reduction of various administrative sanctions on food service operators, livelihood fishermen, and passenger and freight transport operators," adding, "We hope this pardon, conducted ahead of the Lunar New Year, will bring more vitality to the livelihood economy." According to the Ministry of Justice, former Minister of National Defense Kim Kwan-jin (Vice Chairman of the Presidential Defense Innovation Committee) and former Presidential Chief of Staff Kim Ki-chun are reportedly being strongly considered as candidates for the New Year's special pardon.

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