[From the Scene] Doctors across Korea call for apology, policy overhaul in mass rally < Policy < Article

The voices of medical students and trainee doctors echoed through Sejong-daero in downtown Seoul, calling for an end to the “healthcare reform” pursued by the ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol and demanding the normalization of the healthcare system.

The Korean Medical Association (KMA), representing approximately 140,000 doctors nationwide, held a national rally on Sunday in the Sungnyemun area of Jung-gu, Seoul. Organizers estimated that over 25,000 doctors—mainly medical students from 40 schools and trainee physicians from across the country—filled the six-lane boulevard. Participants gathered under the flags of their medical schools and hospitals, holding signs that read, “Stop Fooling Doctors” and “Normalize Medical Care.”

KMA President Kim Taek-woo said, “Former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who even ordered defying junior doctors to be ‘executed,’ has been impeached, yet junior doctors remain on a dark and uncertain path.” He added, “We can no longer wait for the government’s response, as the values we sought to protect can no longer be recovered.”

Kim urged the government to take immediate action, calling on the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and other relevant agencies to acknowledge their missteps and provide responsible apologies and solutions. 

He demanded a complete reconsideration of the so-called healthcare reform policy and stressed that the current administration must be held accountable for the healthcare crisis, warning that shifting the burden to the next government would be irresponsible and unacceptable.

He told medical students and residents, “The path you’ve chosen is not wrong,” assuring them they were not alone. “Let’s fight together to defend the essence of medicine,” he said, adding, “Normalize medical education, normalize healthcare—let’s stand together and make it happen.”

Kim Kyo-woong, chairman of the KMA’s representative council, expressed concern that doctors have begun to adapt to the ongoing abnormalities over the past year, with some even suggesting that hospitals can function without junior doctors. He questioned the role of training hospitals in such a scenario, asking, “What is the point of a training hospital without trainees?” Kim also criticized senior doctors for their passivity, saying they were merely hoping others would take up the fight.

“Remaining idle will no longer secure the world-class medical care we’ve known,” Kim said. He emphasized the need for change to prevent tarnishing the history of Korea’s medical system, to avoid future regret, and to inspire hope in the younger generation.

Choi Jeong-seop, chairman of the council of physicians representing each city and province, criticized the involvement of medical sociologists, lawmakers, and bureaucrats who contribute only rhetoric without action, urging the government to exclude them from the policymaking process. Instead, he called for meaningful discussions with “real medical and clinical experts.” He also demanded that the government retract its flawed policies and issue a sincere apology to the young doctors who have been suppressed and ridiculed.

Professor Cho Yoon-jung of Korea University College of Medicine, who heads the national association of medical school faculty, apologized to medical students and trainee doctors for not standing alongside them in their fight against the government.

“I haven’t matched the efforts made by medical students and trainees to correct the injustices in our society,” she said. “I bow my head in respect to your courage and sacrifice, and I offer my sincerest apology on behalf of the faculty.”

She emphasized that presidential candidates should not be brainwashed into thinking that bashing doctors helps increase their approval ratings. 

“Tthe government, the National Assembly, and the Korean people must all work together to make Korea a nation of best doctors,” she added.