2024-04-29 14:41:37
On the 28th, President-elect Lim Hyun-taek of the Korean Medical Association, who defined the expansion of medical schools as government interference, announced his strong stance that he would not engage in any negotiations with the government without ‘abolition of the expansion.’
President-elect Lim attended the 76th regular general meeting of the Korean Medical Association held at The K Hotel in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 28th and continued to criticize the government.
He criticized, “The increase in the number of medical school students and the enforcement of the mandatory medical package policy are not a matter of conflict between the medical community and the government,” and “It is only a medical malpractice triggered by the government’s unilateral abuse of power.” The government’s four-major policy package for increasing the number of medical schools and essential medical care that was put forth early this year was defined as ‘medical abuse.’
He reiterated that he would not come to the negotiating table with the government unless he reexamined the expansion of medical schools and the essential medical care package from the beginning.
President-elect Lim, who was elected as the 42nd president of the Korean Medical Association, is classified as a ‘hardliner’ even within the medical community. The official term begins on the 1st of next month. When President-elect Lim takes office, there is a possibility that the level of struggle against the government will increase even further. Regarding the increase in the number of medical schools, Chairman-elect Lim argued that “the number of students in medical schools should be reduced by 500 to 1,000 considering the low birth rate.” He is the first medical figure to mention reduction in the medical school expansion situation.
The government allowed the 2025 medical school quota to be set in the range of 50-100% of the increase, showing a flexible attitude toward ‘increasing the number of students by 2,000’. He also encouraged the participation of the medical community, saying that specific plans should be discussed at the Special Committee on Medical Reform established under the President. However, the Korean Medical Association and the Korean Medical Residents Association (Daejeon Medical Association) did not participate.
President-elect Lim is demanding an essential medical package, a reexamination of the original point of increasing the number of medical schools, and the resignation of the Minister and Vice Minister of Health and Welfare as preconditions for dialogue with the government. He stated that in response to the government’s request to participate in the special committee on medical reform, “people who have nothing to do with medical reform are participating as members,” and his position is that the medical community and the government should meet one-on-one and negotiate.
The level of remarks and language choices directed at the government are becoming more strident by the day. Regarding the medical school professor’s leave of absence, the government said, “We are reviewing whether it violates relevant laws.” In response to this, President-elect Lim pointed out, “The Ministry of Health and Welfare is treating medical school professors like criminals. If even a single hair of the professors is touched, 140,000 doctors and medical students will unite and fight with all their might.”
President-elect Lim’s transition committee said the previous day (27th), “If the government again makes low-level threats that would make professors like local thugs, the speaker and the government will be held severely responsible.”
Reporter Kim Jeong-hyeon Photo News 1
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2024-04-29 14:41:37