South Korea’s leading doctors’ body, the Korean Medical Association (KMA), has rejected a revised medical reform plan put forth by the government. The initial version of the plan had sparked a strike two months ago by thousands of trainee doctors. The government’s proposal aimed to increase annual admissions to medical schools by 2,000 students from next year. In response to the ongoing walkout and chaos in South Korean hospitals, the government made its first concession on Friday, allowing 32 universities to admit as few as 1,000 medical students instead of the initially proposed 2,000. However, the KMA is demanding that the plan be abandoned entirely within a week.
A spokesperson for the KMA, Kim Sung-geun, stated that the revised plan is not a fundamental solution to the issue at hand and therefore cannot be accepted by the association. The KMA is urging the government to reconsider the plan from the beginning in order to protect the health of patients suffering due to the strike. Kim emphasized that only one week remains to find a solution to the ongoing dispute. The government argues that its plan is necessary to address doctor shortages in an ageing society, but medical professionals and trainees fear that it will diminish the quality of education and healthcare in the country.
The strike, which began on February 20, has had significant consequences for South Korean hospitals, with essential treatments and surgeries being cancelled as a result of the walkout. The KMA is standing firm in its rejection of the government’s revised plan, insisting that a more comprehensive and effective solution must be found within the next week. The association is calling on President Moon Jae-in to engage in further discussions on the issue to ensure the future of the country’s healthcare system and the well-being of its patients. The ongoing conflict between the government and medical professionals in South Korea highlights the challenges of healthcare reform in the country and the importance of finding a balanced solution that addresses the needs of both doctors and patients.
