Health minister renews vow to accomplish medical reform

Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong on Thursday renewed his commitment to carrying out a hike of the number of medical students, by holding public discussions on the medical reform. Cho made the remarks shortly after President Yoon Suk Yeol told reporters that his administration would push ahead with the planned hike in medical school admissions to address the country's shortage of doctors. "Medical reform, including an increase of doctors, is the first step to correct the long-stalled distortion of the medical system," Cho said at a government response meeting. About 12,000 trainee doctors have left their worksites since Feb. 20 in protest of the plan to boost the number of medical students by 2,000, causing delays in medical treatments, with some emergency rooms partially limiting their treatment of critically ill patients. During a press conference marking the second anniversary of his presidency, Yoon said, "The medical reform plan, including the hike in the number of medical school students, is a task that can no longer be delayed." Some doctors, however, condemned Yoon's remarks. "It is frustrating that the government has not provided the grounds behind the 2,000-seat increase," said Choi Chang-min, who heads an emergency committee of the nation's medical professors. Source: Yonhap News Agency