Korean Medical Association joins in cries calling for Yoon's resignation
Published: 05 Dec. 2024, 18:16
Updated: 05 Dec. 2024, 18:24
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- LEE SOO-JUNG
- [email protected]
Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI
![Park Hyoung-wook, chairperson of the emergency steering committee at the Korean Medical Association, speaks during a briefing at the group's headquarters in central Seoul on Thursday. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/05/88adf843-da5a-4ad4-8d51-4c8a20d2acbc.jpg)
Park Hyoung-wook, chairperson of the emergency steering committee at the Korean Medical Association, speaks during a briefing at the group's headquarters in central Seoul on Thursday. [YONHAP]
In a statement, the Korean Medical Association (KMA) wrote that President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law “based on his delusion without any preparations nor measures.”
The medical community — medical students and professors, junior doctors and community doctors — has clashed with the Yoon administration since February after an announcement of expanding enrollment seats in medical schools.
The doctors’ association specifically denounced the usage of the word “punishment” in the martial law decree. The order mandated all striking medical personnel to return to their workplace within 48 hours and specified that disobedience would result in punishment.
The KMA claimed such an expression is equivalent to “likening junior doctors and medical professors to antistate forces attempting to overthrow democracy.” The group also clarified junior doctors — pursuing medical specialty licenses — were not striking as they are serving in the health industry with their general doctors’ licenses after their resignations were processed earlier.
The group lambasted the president, calling the idea of viewing doctors as a threat to society "delusional."
They further went on to ask the government to reveal information on how the term came to be used in the martial decree and demanded that the involved official be held accountable.
Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong drew a clear line regarding a suspicion that his ministry was involved in using the term "punishment" during a parliamentary health committee meeting on Thursday. Cho said he only saw the decree after it was released to the public and that "the ministry was baffled."
The doctors also criticized the lack of procedural legitimacy in the government's decision-making, noting a 2,000-seat hike in medical recruitment expansion was hastened, as well as the martial law declaration.
“The figure of 2,000 was first came up to the table by Health Minister Cho just an hour before the admission quota expansion was announced on Feb.6,” the group wrote in a statement.
The KMA said it is unclear who attended a Cabinet meeting or whether the proper review was conducted before declaring martial law.
The group noted that delusion-based martial law cannot fix the problems that Korea faces, expressing its relief at the lifting of martial law.
“Korea is a democratic republic, and people should bring down a president who considers himself a monarch,” the KMA said.
BY LEE SOO-JUNG [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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