Park Hyeong-wook elected as chairman of the Korea Medical Association emergency committee… “President Yoon must change”

Park Hyeong-wook, a professor at Dankook University School of Medicine, was elected as chairman of the emergency response committee of the Korean Medical Association (KMA), which was placed under emergency mode after former president Lim Hyun-taek stepped down due to a no-confidence vote.

The Korean Medical Association Representative Council announced that in the emergency chairperson election held on the afternoon of the 13th, 233 out of 244 delegates participated in the vote (95.5% voter turnout), and Professor Park Hyeong-wook took first place with 123 votes (52.79%) in the first round of voting. Seoul Medical Association Chairman Hwang Gyu-seok took second place with 71 votes, Gyeonggi-do Medical Association Chairman Lee Dong-wook took third place with 35 votes, and Korean Hospital Doctors Association Chairman Shin-gu Joo took fourth place.

As Professor Park received the majority of the votes in the first round, he was confirmed to be elected without a runoff election.

In his speech about being elected, Emergency Committee Chairman Park declared, “We will ensure that the views of residents and medical students, who have been marginalized so far, are sufficiently reflected in the operation of the Emergency Response Committee.”

He continued, “If the government really wants dialogue, President Yoon Seok-yeol must change,” and “If President Yoon does not change, no matter how much rhetoric is used, the problem will not be solved.”

It is analyzed that the support of medical residents was a major factor in the election of Chairman Park. The day before, Park Dan, chairman of the Emergency Response Committee of the Korean Medical Residents Association, along with 72 resident representatives, recommended Professor Park Hyeong-wook as emergency committee chairman, saying, “There is no political action and smooth communication with young doctors is possible.”

Meanwhile, Lim Hyun-taek, former president of the Medical Association, left a voice criticizing the actions of emergency committee chairman Park Dan on his social media on the night of the 12th. He said, “Why are elections for the medical association emergency chairperson and emergency chairperson necessary? Park Dan can take on the role of the medical association chairman and emergency committee chairperson and resolve the medical crisis under full authority and responsibility.” He added, “What is clear is that the 2025 medical school quota reexamination, which I have been talking about for many years, will be clearly resolved. “It’s something we have to achieve,” he said. He also mentioned, “I will reveal in great detail to all doctor members what the Park Dan and those who have been manipulating the Park Dan behind it have been doing.”