Yoon: "Increasing Doctors is a National Task... Will Discuss if Medical Community Presents Rational Solutions" (Comprehensive Report 2)

President Yoon Suk-yeol stated on the 1st, "Previous administrations fought nine times and lost all nine times, and the doctors' professional cartel has become increasingly solidified," emphasizing, "We can no longer afford to repeat such failures." He highlighted that a compromise on the adjustment of the 2,000 medical school admissions increase demanded by the medical community is practically difficult. However, President Yoon also took a somewhat conciliatory stance, saying, "The medical community should present a unified proposal to the government based on solid scientific evidence," and added, "If they bring more reasonable and rational measures, we can discuss them anytime."

On the morning of the same day, President Yoon held a national address titled "A Message to the People" at the Yongsan Presidential Office, stating, "Increasing the number of doctors is a national task that can no longer be delayed to correct the abnormal structure." The national address was planned in strict secrecy, with information shared only among a very small number of aides, and was reportedly finalized late the previous afternoon.

This was President Yoon's third national address. Previously, he addressed the nation in October 2022 regarding the Itaewon tragedy and in November last year concerning the failure to secure the Busan Expo. Delivering another national address just ten days before the general election is interpreted as an effort to thoroughly explain the necessity of increasing medical school admissions amid growing concerns about medical service gaps due to collective actions by resident doctors and medical school professors, while also expressing apology and gratitude to the public enduring the inconvenience and seeking their support.

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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President Yoon's remarks were more forceful than usual, demonstrating his firm determination to complete medical reform. He said, "In the past 27 years, no administration has succeeded in increasing the number of doctors and implementing medical reform, which 90% of the public supports," suggesting that now is the right time to achieve reforms that previous governments could not. He emphasized, "The monopoly power held by doctors carries a heavy responsibility to protect the lives and health of the people," adding, "Therefore, doctors have a legal obligation to comply with medical laws."

He also dismissed the possibility of canceling or reconsidering the 2,000 increase in medical school admissions demanded by the medical community. President Yoon stated, "The figure of 2,000 is the minimum increase carefully calculated by the government, and we had sufficient discussions with the medical community, including doctors' organizations, before deciding on it." He compared the speed of population aging, aging of doctors, and the number of doctors in countries with similar medical systems, and explained that some claims by the medical community about insufficient discussion distorted the facts, dedicating much of his address to explaining the discussion process.

President Yoon raised his voice against repeating past mistakes where medical school admission increases failed due to doctors' opposition. He explained that during the 2000 separation of drug prescribing and dispensing, the government yielded to doctors' demands and gradually reduced medical school admissions by 351 until 2006. Considering the reduced admissions, about 7,000 doctors have not been produced so far, and this number will reach 10,000 by 2035. He expressed concern, saying, "Recently, nearly 600 to 700 doctors leave annually for cosmetic surgery," and "Ultimately, the number of doctors responsible for essential medical care decreases by nearly 1,000 each year compared to 20 years ago."

To doctors worried about income reduction, he reiterated the purpose of medical reform. President Yoon said, "The government's medical reform is not intended to reduce doctors' income," adding, "While the income gap between essential and non-essential medical care and between regional and metropolitan medical care will narrow, the overall income of doctors will not decrease compared to now." He also projected that the market requiring doctors, such as bio, new drugs, and medical devices, will expand tremendously with the development of the medical industry.

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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He directly refuted opinions that lack of communication with the medical community would negatively affect the general election, stating that medical reform is not pursued based on political gains or losses. President Yoon pointed out, "The medical community is even threatening the government by saying they will intervene in the general election and calling for the regime's resignation," adding, "Such behavior threatens not me as president but the people."

He raised the level of criticism toward the medical community's behavior, which fiercely opposes the increase in medical school admissions despite the government's efforts to engage in dialogue. "The medical community, which remained silent when the government requested specific numbers for the increase, is now throwing out various numbers like 350, 500, and 1,000 without any basis," he said, "Moreover, they are threatening that the number should be reduced by 500 to 1,000 compared to now."

President Yoon Suk-yeol enters the briefing room and greets for the "Message to the People" regarding medical reform at the Presidential Office building in Yongsan, Seoul, on the 1st. [Image source=Yonhap News]

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On the same day, President Yoon left open the possibility of dialogue with doctors' organizations regarding the scale of the medical school admissions increase. He indicated that if the medical organizations present better opinions and rational evidence than the government's proposal, changes in a better direction are possible. His step back on the scale of the increase, following the suspension of resident doctors' licenses, is also seen as influenced by the growing political burden ahead of the general election. Over the past weekend, criticism arose within the ruling party urging not to insist on the number but to engage in flexible dialogue with the medical community.

However, he made it clear that scientific evidence is necessary for negotiations. President Yoon emphasized, "Attempts to enforce one's will by force without proper logic and evidence will never be accepted. Illegal collective actions must stop immediately, and reasonable proposals and evidence must be presented," adding, "If the medical community insists on reducing the increase from 2,000, they must present a unified proposal to the government based on solid scientific evidence, not through collective actions." He particularly stressed, "Illegal collective actions must stop immediately, and reasonable proposals and evidence must be brought. The government cannot halt or stop a duly reviewed and legitimate policy process based on force without evidence."

He also expressed skepticism about the phased adjustment proposed by some in the medical community. President Yoon said, "Some ask why we insist on 2,000 and suggest gradual increases instead," and questioned, "If gradual increases were possible from the start, why has no government in the past 27 years managed to increase even one admission?" He continued, "If medical school admissions are increased gradually, the final number must be much larger than the initial, so conflicts like this will have to be faced every year," criticizing, "For example, if the goal is to increase admissions by 20,000 in 20 years by gradually increasing a few hundred each year, the final year would require an increase of 4,000."

He promised massive financial investment to make the competitiveness of medicine and the medical industry the best in the world. Cooperation from the medical community is essential to build a proper medical system through medical reform. President Yoon told the medical community, "If you want to take collective action, do it when I fail to keep the promises I made to you, not while opposing the increase."

He appealed to resident doctors to return to the medical field rather than refusing to accept administrative penalty notifications. Currently, most resident doctors have received the second preliminary notice, and if they refuse to accept it, a third notice will be resent, followed by public notification and administrative penalties. President Yoon said, "Doctors' organizations must sit at the table with the government as soon as possible to discuss what is the right path for the lives and health of the people," adding, "Medical reform must be achieved through broad cooperation among medical professions, including doctors, nurses, and nursing assistants. I have already proposed establishing a presidential special committee for medical reform. Forming a social consultative body for medical reform involving the public, medical community, and government is also a good idea."

Meanwhile, even if doctors' organizations bring scientifically based proposals on the scale of the increase and start dramatic negotiations with the government, it is expected to be difficult to change medical school admissions for the 2025 academic year immediately. The Presidential Office stated that the government has already allocated the 2,000 increased admissions to each university, and universities are preparing to finalize their admissions guidelines by April or May, so there is no time to spare. They also noted that discussions can only proceed if doctors' organizations bring reasonable alternatives, including this aspect.

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