Gov’t to Hold ‘Full-Fledged’ Discussions on Medical Reforms at 2nd Meeting of Presidential Advisory Panel

The government said it will begin full-fledged discussions on medical reforms as a special presidential advisory committee on the administration’s reform plans is set to convene its second meeting on Friday.

Presiding over a meeting on the ongoing collective action by trainee doctors on Thursday, health minister Cho Kyoo-hong said implementing new reforms, including the medical school admissions quota hike, is the first step to correcting issues within the medical system.

The minister said the government is closely monitoring each medical institution’s patient consultation capacity amid the prolonged medical vacuum, pledging to enhance necessary support to maintain emergency medical services.

He also said the government will push for reforms that will normalize the provision of medical services and ensure that general hospitals operate in a way that focuses attention on patients that are in a critical condition.

The committee launched on April 25 in the absence of key parties, such as the Korean Medical Association(KMA) and the Korean Intern Resident Association(KIRA), who have expressed their opposition to the proposed reforms.