▲ A general strike rally in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 14th of August against the government`s medical policy of expanding the quota of medical colleges held by The Korean Medical Association

The Korean Medical Association held a general strike rally in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 14th of August against the government's medical policy of expanding the quota of medical colleges. Under the leader of the association, some interns, residents, doctors of private hospitals, and other doctor

s excluding doctors working in emergency rooms, intensive care units, and other important rooms, decided in the group not seeing patients. Choi Dae-jip, the chairman of the Korean Medical Association, said at the rally that the government has poured out the four bad medical policies (expansion of medical colleges quota, the establishment of public medical university, paying herbal medicine in a package, and the introduction of untact treatment) in a surprise move and has been rushing unilaterally without any discussion or consultation. Choi Dae-jip added that they urge the government to abolish it once again with the will of 130,000 doctors.

▲ Saying Choi Dae-jip, the chairman of the Korean Medical Association at the rally

Then, why did this event happen and why did the conflict between the government and The Korean Medical Association occur? It can be explained with the opinions of both sides. First, in the side of the government, it says that the number of doctors is remarkably insufficient compared to the OECD average, so they will increase the quota of medical colleges and introduce a regional medical system to fill the medical vacuum in regional areas. In particular, because of the lack of regional doctors working in the field of serious medical treatments, the government plans to increase the quota of medical colleges' students by 400 people more per year for ten years, a total of four thousand people starting in 2022 and plans to make 3,000 of them as regional doctors who are required to work in the field of serious medical treatments in the region.

On the other hand, the medical circles claim that considering that the rate of increase of doctors is above the OECD average and the nation's low birth rate, the current medical staffs are sufficient, and the regional medical system infringes human rights. Also, they say the current government's medical policy does not have fundamental solutions but just a populist policy.

Meanwhile, the conflict between them is growing and growing, and 91 percent of medical colleges' students are refusing the upcoming National Examination for Medical Practitioners.

August 28th, 2020

by Kim Hyeon