Korea’s Presidential Office Responds to Doctor’s Criticism on Quota Expansion

The President’s office pointed out to the doctors who collectively resist the expansion of medical school quotas, “Nowhere in the world do doctors take extreme actions at the risk of patients’ lives over the number of medical school enrollments.”

Seong Tae Yoon, the Chief Presidential Secretary for Policy, held a briefing at the Yongsan Office on the 25th and, about a question, “Whether there is a possibility to reduce the existing 2,000 in consultation with the doctors,” answered, “We consider the estimated 2,000 itself as the necessary personnel.”

He also said, “Originally, we needed about 3,000, but considering the circumstances, we think about 2,000. 17 medical colleges in our country are small medical colleges with less than 50 people, and for their smooth operation, a certain number of people need to be supplemented.”

Chief Seong revealed that the Ministry of Education sent a document to 40 medical schools nationwide asking how much expansion is possible by the 4th of next month and said, “We have already conducted a demand survey, and the answer came that it is possible from a minimum of 2,000 to a maximum of 3,500.”

He also added, “The number of medical school quotas itself has not been increased for a long time, for 30 years, and the deficiency has accumulated to about 7,000. The expansion of 2,000 reflects this.”

Kim Su Kyung, the Presidential Spokesperson, also held a briefing and directly rebutted the contents announced by the Medical Professors Association of Korea.

Spokesperson Kim said, “It is not true that the government announced the expansion of the medical school quota without ever asking what the essential medical practitioners needed before the announcement and that it did not propose any solutions for pediatrics recently. It is also not true that the government suddenly announced the expansion of 2,000 medical school quotas without making any effort to solve the lack of a low-fee medical service delivery system, medical accidents, and legal protection system, which are the causes of the collapse of essential medical care in the provinces.”

In response to the association’s statement that the government suddenly announced the expansion without a solution to essential medical care, “President Yoon has emphasized the preparation of essential medical care strengthening measures more than any other president, listening to the opinions of doctors, patients, guardians, and experts,” she rebutted.

In this regard, she mentioned that she visited the pediatric ward of Seoul National University Hospital in February last year to order improvements in the pediatric medical system, held a necessary medical strategy meeting at Chungbuk National University Hospital in October, and presided over a public forum on medical reform at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital on the 1st of this month.

Furthermore, Spokesperson Kim emphasized, “The government is implementing bold investments to carry out the announced measures without any problems. Since the government’s inauguration, it has decided to invest health insurance funds amounting to approximately $677 million to strengthen essential medical care by November 2023, and especially for pediatric care, it is implementing a fiscal investment decision of about $233 million.”