Jin-woo Lee, president of the Korean Medical Association (second row, clockwise from left), People Power Party lawmaker Seong-won Kim, Eun-bae Yang, director of the Korea Association of Medical Colleges and Graduate Schools of Medicine (KAMC) Policy Research Institute, Jong-tae Lee, chairman of the board, Lee Joo-ho, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Ki-seon Bang, head of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, and Tae-yoon Seong. The President’s Office Policy Director is attending a meeting of the ruling and opposition party, legislative and government consultative bodies held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 24th. 2024.11.24. News 1
“I didn’t have high expectations from the beginning, but now there is no reason to stay.”
An official from the Korean Association of Medical Colleges and Graduate Schools of Medicine (KAMC), who is participating in the ruling and opposition party council, said, “We were concerned about criticism that the medical community unconditionally refused dialogue, so we participated despite internal criticism, but we are now only a sidekick to the ruling party and government’s show-off actions.” He said this. In order to prevent the medical gap from prolonging further, residents (interns, residents) and medical students participated in the face of criticism, but instead of achieving results, the discussion was set back due to the announcement of the establishment of a new local medical school, so there was no point in participating further.
● ‘Half-launch’ controversy ends and comes to a halt
The launch of the ruling and opposition party council, proposed by People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon in early September this year, was delayed due to the absence of medical doctors’ groups, but was launched on the 11th of this month after much difficulty as the Korean Medical Association and KAMC announced their participation policy on the 22nd of last month. After the first meeting, the People Power Party said, “We will do our best to come up with meaningful results and give the people a Christmas gift,” but the opposition party and the resident and medical student groups that hold the key to resolving the situation did not participate, resulting in a ‘half-launched launch’ from the beginning. Iran was criticized.
The two medical groups that participated in the consultative body requested four things: △stopping the regular carry-over of unfilled numbers for regular recruitment, △reducing the number of regular preliminary successful applicants, △limiting the selection of applicants with insufficient learning ability, and △ensuring school autonomy regarding the number of people selected within the recruitment guidelines, requesting 3,118 regular admissions. , requested to slightly reduce the number of people recruited for next year, which is a total of 4,610 people, including 1,492 regular people. The idea was that it would be difficult to receive proper education if medical students on leave of absence return while recruiting many new students.
The ruling party and the two medical groups held three meetings until the 24th, but discussions were difficult as the government maintained the position that “next year’s medical school quota can be discussed but cannot be changed.” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Lee Joo-ho appeared on radio on the 25th and said, “The possibility of adjusting the number of medical schools for the 2025 school year is 0%.”
Here, Dong-Hoon Han, representative of the People Power Party, who proposed the consultative body, said at a National Assembly debate on the 26th, “We will definitely achieve the establishment of the Gyeongbuk National Medical University,” further increasing the distrust of medical groups. In a situation where people are discussing how to reduce the amount of reinforcement allocated to the existing medical school, the perception that “Representative Han and the ruling party lack sincerity” has spread regarding the call for the establishment of a new medical school. The Korean Medical Association (KMA), which had taken a hard-line stance by demanding ‘a suspension of recruitment next year’, also announced its official position to the two medical groups, saying, “We request them to leave the consultative body.”
● Medical community: “An expected result of the government’s hard-line policy.”
In the medical community, the two medical groups’ decision to withdraw from the consultative body is said to be “an expected result in a situation where the President’s Office insists that it cannot take a single step back from increasing the number of medical schools next year.”
A Sajik resident at a university hospital in the metropolitan area said, “While the council was in progress, we also took the CSAT and those who passed the rolling admissions were announced. “The result was only buying time for a government that had no will to change its policies,” he pointed out. Regarding this, an official from the Medical Association expressed disappointment, saying, “We did our best to reduce the number of applicants until the 6th of next month when the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) scores are announced, but we only confirmed that the government has no will to do so.”
The ruling party’s stance is that the two medical groups’ decision to not participate in the consultative meeting is perplexing. The People Power Party said, “Representative Han’s remarks about the Gyeongbuk National Medical University are separate from the increase in medical schools,” and added, “We recognize that the government needs to be more flexible to continue the dialogue, and we will continue to work harder to play a mediating role.” The government, which had requested the additional participation of medical residents and other medical groups in the consultative body until the previous day, remained silent on this day.
#Relative and opposition parties consultative body#Increasing the number of medical schools
Reporter Park Seong-min [email protected]
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## Korea’s Medical School Debate: expert Weighs in on Council Collapse
**World Today News Exclusive Interview**
The recent collapse of the ruling and opposition party council aimed at resolving Korea’s burgeoning medical school crisis has sent shockwaves through the medical community. Dr. [Expert Name], a renowned professor of healthcare policy at [Prestigious University] and longtime observer of Korean healthcare, provides insight into the unfolding situation.
**World Today News:** Dr.[Expert Name], the Korean Association of Medical Colleges and Graduate Schools of Medicine, the Korean Medical Association, and resident and student groups have withdrawn from the council. What’s your take on this unprecedented move?
**Dr. [Expert Name]:**
This development is deeply concerning, but sadly, it’s not entirely unexpected. The council was formed with good intentions, but faced fundamental challenges from the outset.
Firstly, the absence of key opposition parties weakened its legitimacy and restricted the scope for meaningful negotiation. Secondly, and critically, the government’s unwavering stance on increasing medical school intake next year created a sense of futility among the medical groups.
**World Today News:** Many criticize the government’s steadfast commitment to increasing medical school numbers,particularly amidst concerns about oversupply and educational strain.
**Dr. [Expert Name]:**
These concerns are valid. Increasing medical school intake without addressing existing structural issues within the healthcare system only exacerbates the problem. We’re already grappling with issues of overworked doctors, insufficient residency positions, and an uneven distribution of medical professionals across the country.
Adding more graduates without tackling these root causes risks further undermining the quality of medical training and potentially compromising patient care.
**World Today News:** What’s your assessment of the government’s “half-launched launch” strategy and the declaration to establish a new medical school in Gyeongbuk, despite requests to limit new admissions?
**Dr. [Expert Name]:**
The government’s approach appears to prioritize symbolic gesture over pragmatic solutions. While the establishment of a new medical school might seem appealing, it’s a superficial fix that fails to address the underlying systemic issues.
Moreover,announcing this decision before meaningful dialogue with stakeholders,including medical professionals and students,demonstrates a lack of respect and undermines trust.
**World Today news:** Looking ahead, what are the potential consequences of this fractured dialogue, and what steps can be taken to ensure a more constructive approach?
**Dr. [Expert Name]:**
the collapse of this council represents a missed opportunity. It risks prolonging the medical gap and exacerbates tensions within the healthcare sector.
To move forward, we need a genuine commitment from all stakeholders – the government, the opposition, medical associations, and student groups – to engage in constructive dialogue. This requires:
* **Adaptability and compromise:**
All parties must be willing to consider alternative solutions and compromise on their initial positions.
* **Evidence-Based Solutions:**
Policy decisions should be grounded in robust data and expert analysis, focusing on the long-term sustainability of the healthcare system.
* **Transparent Dialogue:**
Open and honest communication is crucial to building trust and understanding.
**World Today News:** Thank you for your valuable insights, Dr. [Expert name].
The future of Korean healthcare hangs in the balance. It remains to be seen whether the government will heed these criticisms and pursue a more collaborative approach to address the pressing issues facing the medical community.
