‘Hardline’ medical association president resigns in disgrace… Will this open the door to parliamentary dialogue? :: Empathy Media Newsis ::

“Chairman of the Medical Association resigns mid-term… looking forward to the start of legislative dialogue”

“Variables such as the results of the emergency committee chairperson election and government stance”

(Seoul = Newsis) Reporter Baek Young-mi = As President Lim Hyun-taek of the Korean Medical Association (KMA) has decided to step down in accordance with the demands of residents and medical students who hold the key to resolving the medical crisis surrounding the expansion of medical schools, will this open the way to resolving the prolonged conflict over medical issues? It is noteworthy.

According to the medical community on the 10th, a motion of no confidence in Chairman Lim (impeachment bill) and a bill to establish an emergency response committee (emergency committee) were passed at the extraordinary general meeting of the Medical Association Representative Council on this day, with expectations that a starting point for legislative dialogue will be established, as well as the results of the election of the chairman of the emergency committee and changes in the government’s position. As there are many variables such as

First of all, some voices hope that the passage of President Lim’s impeachment bill will serve as an opportunity to bring residents and medical students to the legislative dialogue table. On the 7th and 8th, residents and medical students requested the impeachment of Chairman Lim to the representatives of the Korean Medical Association on the 7th and 8th ahead of the impeachment bill being submitted.

There are observations within the medical community that if the Korean Medical Association is converted to a non-representative system, a central point in resolving the situation will be established through improved relationships with residents and medical students and increased negotiating power with the government.

Kim Kyo-woong, chairman of the medical association’s representative committee, said, “After the emergency chairperson is elected, there will be a close connection with residents, and if the representative council makes efforts to have as many residents participate in the emergency committee, we believe that many residents will participate.” He added, “The most important thing is that residents (in the emergency committee) “It’s about creating an environment where people can come in,” he said.

There are also predictions that residents who have been at odds with the executive branch of the Korean Medical Association due to the passage of the impeachment bill against President Lim may cooperate with the emergency committee of the Korean Medical Association in the future. On the 7th, Park Dan, the head of the emergency committee of the Korean Medical Association (Daejeon Association), who has been in conflict with Chairman Lim, said on Facebook, “We demand Chairman Lim’s voluntary resignation, and ask the representatives of the Korean Medical Association to impeach Chairman Lim,” and “If understanding and communication is possible, we ask for Chairman Lim’s voluntary resignation.” “With the new chairman at the head, we hope that the two organizations, the Korean Medical Association and the Korean Medical Residents Association, will be able to build mutual solidarity in the future,” he said.

If residents actively participate in the medical association emergency committee, medical students are also likely to show a proactive change in attitude toward medical dialogue. This is because medical students have kept pace with residents, who are senior doctors, in the midst of conflicts over medical procedures.

(Seoul = Newsis) Reporter Hwang Jun-seon = President Lim Hyun-taek of the Korean Medical Association is leaving the meeting room at the 2024 emergency extraordinary general meeting of delegates held at the Korean Medical Association in Yongsan-gu, Seoul on the 10th. The motion of no confidence in Chairman Lim (impeachment), which was voted on at the general meeting on this day, was passed. Done. 2024.11.10. (email protected)

However, some say that it will take a considerable amount of time for the legislative conflict to be resolved. The degree of participation of residents in the emergency committee may vary depending on who is the chair of the emergency committee. Member A of the Medical Association said, “The Medical Association’s Representative Council has decided to minimize internal confusion by electing the next president within the year, who is supposed to be selected within two months under the emergency committee system according to the articles of incorporation, but a person who can encompass residents should serve as emergency committee chair.”

The emergency committee chair will be elected through mobile voting on the 13th. The names of the medical association emergency committee chairs include Su-ho Joo, head of the Future Medical Forum (former president of the Korean Medical Association), Gyu-seok Hwang, president of the Seoul Metropolitan Medical Association, and Taek-woo Kim, president of the National Provincial Medical Association. The chairman of the emergency committee can also run as the next president of the Korean Medical Association in the future, so if he quickly presents alternatives to medical issues in the emergency committee system and demonstrates his negotiating power with the government, he is expected to gain an advantage in the election of the next president.

While the People Power Party announced the launch of the ‘ruling/ruling/ruling/government consultative body’ on the 11th to resolve legislative conflicts, there is a possibility that the government’s position or changes in the political landscape may act as variables in resolving legislative conflicts. The medical community is demanding that the President’s Office and the government put the demands of the medical community on the table and express their willingness to accept the results of the discussion.

Chairman Kim said, “It is not important whether or not you participate in the consultative body, but there must be a procedure for Yongsan to accept any decision made by the consultative body.” He added, “The key point is whether (the President’s Office) will accept the consultative body.” Kim Young-jun, vice-chairman of the Korean Medical Association’s representative council, said, “It is unrealistic to ask residents and medical students to come in without reprimanding the person responsible and canceling the medical school quota.”

Meanwhile, attention is also being paid to whether the change in the political landscape following the first trial of Lee Jae-myeong, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, for violating the Public Official Election Act, scheduled for the 15th, will have an impact on resolving the situation. In addition, unlike past general strikes in the medical industry, this situation takes the form of ‘individual submission of resignations’ by residents, making it difficult to negotiate and reach a comprehensive settlement. This is also pointed out as a factor in making it difficult to resolve the situation quickly.

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