Attendees are shouting slogans calling for an end to medical oppression at a national rally of doctors held near Yeoui-daero next to Yeouido Park in Seoul on the afternoon of the 3rd to block the expansion of medical school seats and essential medical care packages. / Yonhap News
Ahead of a general rally of doctors protesting against the government’s increase in the number of medical students, controversy arose online over suspicions that doctors had called for the forcible mobilization of sales staff from pharmaceutical companies to the rally.
The Korean Medical Association stated, “We have never ordered the mobilization of pharmaceutical companies.” Regarding the suspicions, the President’s Office said, “We will respond with zero tolerance for illegal activities.”
On the 3rd, the ‘National Doctors’ Rally’ was held in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. The day before, on the 2nd, a post was posted on various community sites saying that some doctors were forcing pharmaceutical company salespeople and others to attend the rally, and it spread.
The article reads, ‘They said pharmaceutical company salesmen must participate in the doctor rally, so they will participate in the strike tomorrow,’ ‘They say they will watch from behind and give all the medicine to the person who participates the most,’ and ‘If the doctor from the business partner does not show up tomorrow, they will forcefully mobilize the doctor by threatening to change the medicine. ‘, etc. were written.
On the 2nd, a day before the doctors’ rally, an article to the effect that ‘Doctors forced pharmaceutical company salespeople to participate in the protest’ spread online. /DC Inside
As this controversy continued to spread, Joo Su-ho, chairman of the media and public relations committee of the emergency response committee to block the expansion of medical schools at the Korean Medical Association, said ahead of the protest, “What is clear is that we never ordered the mobilization of pharmaceutical companies,” and added, “We could not confirm whether it was a deviation from the general members (doctors), but whether it was actual coercion.” “It has not been confirmed whether pharmaceutical company employees participated voluntarily, but there have been reports that they were forced to participate,” he said.
However, he said, “I have never encouraged the participation of residents and medical students at the emergency committee level, but I have met many of them. Many parents come voluntarily. “(At this rally) there were actually more doctors engaged in essential medical care than the government thought,” he said. “From their perspective, the government’s unilateral increase in troops is not acceptable. “We cannot allow our children to be in a situation where they have no choice but to give up (being a doctor),” he said.
Prior to that, on the morning of the same day, another article raising suspicions was posted online.
The article contained a claim that, instead of having salespeople directly participate in the rally, there was a request from doctors to prepare hot packs and warm drinks for doctors participating in the rally.
The authenticity has not been confirmed.
While a post claiming that pharmaceutical company salespeople forcibly mobilized doctors to protest was spreading online, a new post was posted on the morning of the 3rd, the day of the protest. /DC Inside
The government stepped forward to investigate the truth of the suspicions.
The President’s Office said on this day, “We are assessing the situation in real time regarding threats to the lives and health rights of citizens due to group actions,” and added, “We will respond with a zero-tolerance policy toward illegal acts.”
The police began verifying the facts and reviewing the law. An official at the National Police Agency explains that if doctors in ‘A’ position ask employees of a pharmaceutical company in ‘B’ position to participate in a meeting, they can be charged with coercion under the criminal law and violation of the medical law.
The Korean Medical Association reported that the number of attendees at the rally on this day was 25,000.
2024-03-03 07:02:00
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