Yoon's Statement Met with Unified Opposition from the Opposition... "No Matter How You Look at It, No Governing Ability"

The opposition parties have collectively voiced criticism over President Yoon Seok-yeol's public address regarding the 'medical school expansion.'

Kang Min-seok, spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Korea's Central Election Countermeasures Committee, stated at a briefing at the National Assembly Communication Office on the afternoon of the 1st, "President Yoon spent 50 minutes alone unilaterally praising himself," and criticized, "Once again, instead of holding a press conference on a major national issue, he chose the format of a public address, and there was no Q&A with reporters." He added, "The speech was filled with arrogance, stubbornness, and blaming others," and criticized, "President Yoon spoke as if inflation was under control, showing that he has not moved an inch from his perception of 'green onions at 875 won.'"

On the 1st, amid the prolonged medical-government conflict over the plan to increase medical school admissions by 2,000 students, citizens at Seoul Station in Jung-gu, Seoul, are watching President Yoon Seok-yeol's national address regarding healthcare reform. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

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Shin Hyun-young, a spokesperson who is a physician and former spokesperson for the Korean Medical Association, also joined the criticism. Shin said, "I had hoped that by listening to the voices of the people and through a progressive change in attitude, the medical crisis could be averted and dialogue could be initiated, but this address confirmed once again that this administration is like a stone wall," and pointed out, "A government closed off, obsessed with the number 2,000."

She emphasized, "A reasonable expansion plan that considers the conditions on the ground to prevent substandard medical schools and poor education must be prepared to persuade the medical community," and added, "Since it is difficult to gain public consensus through government-medical community consultations, the ruling and opposition parties, as well as various sectors of society, must participate together to create a grand compromise platform where the medical reform desired by the public can be achieved."

Lee Jun-seok, leader of the Reform New Party, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 22nd. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

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Other opposition parties, including the Third Zone, also joined the criticism.

Lee Jun-seok, leader of the Reform New Party, wrote on his Facebook, "I am appalled by President Yoon's perception of reality," and criticized, "This is not the time to turn the gun and attack someone else; he should have reflected on the failure to manage inflation and discussed how to stabilize people's livelihoods." He particularly said, "Reflect on the president's behavior of unilaterally running the government for two years and using power to oust people," and sharply criticized, "A president who is considering short-term gains from the medical school expansion issue clearly lacks governing ability."

Lee Ji-soo, spokesperson for the Innovation Party for Justice, said, "It is April Fool's Day. I first offer words of comfort to the people who had to listen to a long-winded speech with neither content nor solutions," and added, "In the current situation where the government and the medical community are sharply divided, it utterly betrayed the expectations of the people who might have hoped for a solution." She continued, "I was at a loss for words at the president's address, which was like the prosecution reciting evidence to prove the defendant's guilt," and said, "Today's address was nothing more and nothing less than a waste of broadcast resources and the precious time of the people."

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