Seoul, Jan 9 (IANS) South Korea’s health ministry expressed hopes on Thursday to engage in talks with the new president of the country’s leading doctors’ organization, following a prolonged deadlock over medical reforms.
During a government meeting, Second Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo commented on the recent election of Kim Taek-woo as the new head of the Korean Medical Association, a position Kim took on with a strong stance against expanding the medical school quota.
“We hope to have direct talks to resolve the ongoing conflict between the government and the medical community,” Park stated. “The public desires the stabilization of the country’s healthcare system, and I believe both the government and medical professionals share a common goal.”
Kim, however, voiced concerns over the government’s approach, calling for a shift in its position. “With the president who initiated this policy now absent, it’s clear the medical reform plan is flawed,” Kim said after his election. “The government should reconsider its stubborn stance and put an end to this policy.”
Since February of last year, thousands of trainee doctors have been absent from work following mass resignations, as the medical community continues to push for the government to rethink its plan to raise the number of medical school seats. The government aims to increase medical school quotas by 1,500 for 2025, as part of a broader initiative to add about 2,000 new seats over the next five years to combat a growing shortage of doctors.
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