The Korean Medical Association (KMA) said on the 16th that the next government should prioritize the education of medical students ahead of the presidential election.
Medical students opposed to the government's policy of increasing the number of medical school admissions boycotted classes and were collectively failed or expelled. As a result, over 6,000 students from the classes of 2024, 2025, and 2026 are now in the same situation. The KMA stated that the next government must actively resolve this issue.
On this day, the KMA also revealed its stance on the medical pledges of presidential candidates.
Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate, announced a pledge to strengthen essential, regional, and public healthcare and to establish a 24-hour emergency care system. Kim Moon-soo, the People Power Party candidate, promised to rebuild the healthcare system within six months and to strengthen the national responsibility system for dementia. Lee Jun-seok, the Reform Party candidate, stated that he would separate the health and medical sectors from the Ministry of Health and Welfare and establish a new Ministry of Health.
Regarding Lee Jae-myung's pledge, the KMA noted, "We agree on the necessity of addressing essential healthcare issues," but added, "The regional doctor system is not a fundamental solution for revitalizing local healthcare." It further stated, "Emergency medical services suffer from chronic personnel shortages and overwhelming workloads," and emphasized that "to establish a 24-hour emergency healthcare system, an expansion of personnel and facilities and an increase in payments (money from the National Health Insurance Corporation) are necessary."
In response to Kim Moon-soo's pledge, the KMA commented, "To restore the collapsed healthcare system within six months, a concrete plan and execution strategy must be developed." On the dementia pledge, it stated, "Healthcare and caregiving should be considered together in relation to daily life."
Regarding Lee Jun-seok's pledge, it noted, "The separation of the Ministry of Health should not just stop at a simple government reorganization." It continued, "It must evolve into an independent and specialized administrative body," and argued, "Policies for the advancement of health and medical care should be discussed."