Ousted Yoon has been the least favored president among doctors for his drastic medical reform plans
The Korean Medical Association on Friday called the impeachment verdict of former President Yoon Suk Yeol "a reaffirmation of democracy in Korea," criticizing what it called oppression against doctors who protested the state-led medical reform plan.
"The government's unreasonable exploitation of medical circles led to it losing faith from doctors and people alike, ultimately resulting in the president's impeachment," the KMA said in an official statement.
"We hope that the impeachment verdict will lead to the discontinuation of wrongful medical policies, as well as reasonable discussions on increasing the quota for medical schools and the policy package related to essential healthcare."
A separate statement by the Korean Intern Resident Association also welcomed Yoon's impeachment on Friday, and urged the government to restore trust between the authorities and the medical circles.
Doctors across the country, particularly thousands of trainee doctors, participated in a medical strike to protest government plans to hike the enrollment quota for medical schools by 2,000 in the 2025 school year. The yearlong standoff, which began with a mass walkout of trainee doctors last February, led to a nationwide shortage of medical staff.
The plan even sparked criticism from some within Yoon's People Power Party — in January, Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo of the same party demanded that the reform plan be scrapped.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare backpedaled on this plan in March by scrapping the enrollment hike for this school year, on condition that the medical students returned to class by the end of that month. Some 96.9 percent of the students were found to have returned to class as of Wednesday, but a substantial number of doctors have yet to return to their original posts.
With the ouster of Yoon expected to deal a significant blow to the medical reform drive, the government has yet to mention its plans in the current situation.
Acting President Han Duck-soo's public address on Friday focused predominantly on preventing any vacuum in security and diplomacy, and addressed pressing issues such as trade uncertainties in light of sweeping tariffs recently announced by the US. He did not address the medical reforms specifically.
According to an official of the Health Ministry quoted Friday afternoon by local media outlet Money Today, the government is not likely to change the long-term aim of the medical reform in light of the impeachment verdict and the current political situation.
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com
