The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) criticized President Yoon Suk Yeol on Monday for failing to listen to the voice of the public regarding the planned hike in the medical school admission quota amid a prolonged walkout by junior doctors.
In a televised address to the nation earlier in the day, Yoon called on doctors to come up with a “unified proposal” on the appropriate admission increase, stating that the government will be open to talks, although it believes a hike of 2,000 is the minimum.
“It was a speech that once again confirmed the (Yoon) administration’s disregard for public opinion,” Rep. Shin Hyun-young, the DP’s spokesperson, told reporters, further claiming the government is obsessed with the number 2,000.
More than 90 percent of the country’s 13,000 medical interns and residents have been on strike in the form of mass resignations since Feb. 20 to protest the government’s decision to dramatically increase the enrollment quota starting next year. The walkout resulted in the cancellation
of surgeries and treatments at major general hospitals.
In support of their action, many senior doctors at teaching schools have also submitted resignations, though they have not stopped treating patients yet.
“As chaos and voids in the medical field deepen, such harm is solely borne by patients and citizens,” Shin said.
The government has claimed that an increase in the medical school cap by 2,000 from the current 3,058 is aimed at nurturing doctors to deal with the country’s rapidly aging population. In contrast, doctors have claimed that the plan fails to address issues, such as overburdening and the lack of incentives for doctors who specialize in essential health care services, and that it will eventually harm the country’s medical services
Source: Yonhap News Agency