Democratic Party presidential front-runner Lee Jae-myung said Tuesday he would pursue broad social consensus on the medical school quota system, open a new medical school and set up more state-funded hospitals.
“We must return to square one and begin discussions again — this time with the participation of all stakeholders. The future of health care demands not just numbers, but vision,” he wrote in a Facebook statement posted Monday.
But among the health care policies announced in the post was the establishment of a public medical school to train doctors for regional postings and essential medical fields. He also pledged to expand the number of state-funded hospitals equipped with artificial intelligence and advanced technologies.
While the future of medical reform is expected to be a key issue in the upcoming presidential race, Lee’s proposals follow more than a year of turmoil triggered by the Yoon Suk Yeol administration’s increase in the number of medical school places last year by 2,000 students.
The government argued the move was necessary to strengthen public health infrastructure and increase the number of essential care providers. However, strong opposition from medical professionals and students led to mass protests and walkouts, bringing major disruptions to hospitals and medical education.
“The unilateral decision by the government closed the door to dialogue and led to a medical crisis that hurt everyone. ... Patients struggled to receive proper treatment, medical students left their schools, and the public bore the brunt of the chaos,” Lee said, referring to the conflict that escalated during Yoon’s tenure.
Lee stressed the need for medical reform centered on patient safety and accessibility, rather than political wrangling.
“We must end the confrontation. This is about the lives and health of our people,” he said.
Additionally, Lee proposed an enhanced support for provincial medical centers to bridge urban-rural health care gaps, and called for the state to take full responsibility for emergency, maternity and trauma care services.
ddd@heraldcorp.com
