Photo : YONHAP News
The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences and the Korean Association of Medical Colleges have agreed to participate in a four-way dialogue on health care reform involving the rival political parties, the government and the medical community.
In a statement issued Tuesday, the two groups said they intend to fulfill their responsibility by engaging in talks on behalf of medical experts.
Expressing clear opposition to what they called the government’s unilateral policies, the groups said they could no longer overlook the impending collapse of the nation’s medical system due to the government’s misguided policy decisions.
They defended the right of medical schools to autonomously approve a leave of absence for students who walked out in apparent protest of the reforms prior to the launch of the dialogue.
They also called for discussion about the admissions quota hike for the 2025 and 2026 academic years.
While other groups, such as the Medical Professors Association of Korea, have yet to decide whether to take part in the talks, the Korean Medical Association has refused.