Yoon Proposes Discussion with Medical Community on Next Year's Healthcare Budget... Bold Financial Investment Suggested (Comprehensive)

President Yoon Suk-yeol on the 26th instructed his aides to "propose discussing next year's medical budget together with the medical community."

President Yoon made these remarks during a meeting with medical staff in the afternoon at the Korea Visit Center in Cheongju, Chungbuk, according to Lee Do-woon, the presidential office's chief public relations officer, in a written briefing.

Earlier, Choi Sang-mok, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, reported at the Cabinet meeting that essential medical support was included for the first time as a key area of fiscal investment in the "2025 Budget Draft Preparation Guidelines."

President Yoon also emphasized, "The scale of the budget for the health and medical sector must be determined so that unnecessary expenditures can be adjusted while expanding regional medical infrastructure, strengthening compensation for essential medical services, and setting the scale for research and development (R&D) projects. Only then can we more reliably protect the lives and safety of the people."

Upon visiting Korea Hospital that day, President Yoon immediately donned a mask, protective suit, protective cap, and shoe covers, toured the Cardiac and Cerebrovascular Center guided by the hospital director, and then moved to the integrated nursing care ward to encourage nurses and other medical staff. He explained, "We are promoting medical reform to prevent the collapse of regional and essential medical services and to normalize the medical system. Regional general hospitals are the first gateway to essential medical care and serve as the regions that protect the lives and health of the people."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

원본보기 아이콘

Following the morning Cabinet meeting, President Yoon headed straight to the local medical field. With over a month having passed since residents collectively resigned in protest against the increase in medical school admissions, and medical school professors joining the opposition, it is interpreted that President Yoon personally stepped in to calm the situation.

At the morning Cabinet meeting, after receiving the "2025 Budget Draft Preparation Guidelines," President Yoon stated, "We will place the health and medical sector on the same level as national essential functions such as security and public safety and make bold fiscal investments," adding, "The government and the medical community must quickly come together and consult to prioritize fiscal expenditures in the health and medical sector and enable next year's budget preparation."

In his opening remarks, President Yoon also promised to establish a support system covering the entire cycle?from student selection to resident training and regional hospital employment?to ensure that the increased number of medical personnel settle in local areas. He also plans to improve the system of tertiary general hospitals that excessively rely on residents.

In particular, President Yoon declared, "We will drastically improve the training environment for residents, including continuous working hours and compensation systems," and "The government will not spare financial investment and support for medical education." Additionally, based on demand surveys by universities, the government will prepare "Measures to Improve Medical Education Conditions" by April and undertake reforms of the resident training system, introduce a contract-based regional essential doctor system, reform the medical delivery system, ensure fair compensation for essential medical services, manage non-reimbursable services, and establish a medical accident safety net.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

원본보기 아이콘

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.