Medical circle refuses to resume talks

The medical circle¡¯s rejection of Health and Welfare Minister Choi Sun-Jung¡¯s proposal for open discussion could result in the medical crisis that stemmed from the strike of interns and residents continuing indefinitely. Due to the refusal of a ¡°joint sub-committee for emergence countermeasure,¡± which operate under the ¡°committee for regaining medial rights¡± and the national association of medical university professors, to resume talks, the government decided that the medical crisis will not be resolved in the short term and will speed up preparations to alleviate problems caused by disrupted medical services at general hospitals.

The ¡°committee for regaining medial rights¡± plans to end the partial suspension of medical examinations from the 28th and will offer free services to patients with medical insurance. Consequently, all neighborhood clinics are likely to resume business. Patients requesting special treatment, examinations and preventive shots will not be included in the free service. The medical committee asserted that their struggle has not ended and sent detailed instruction manuals to city, town, and ward level medical associations. They plan to reveal the government¡¯s dogmatic initiatives to bring about the separation of dispensaries from hospitals.

Korean Medical Association chairman Kim Jae-Jung, who was released on bail, first appeared at the KMA building to preside over the committee of standing directors and accepted the resignation letters of the standing directors that were submitted on July 10. He asserted that the medical crisis will end with good results in the near future, as it is entering its final phase with medical professors and residents at the front line of the struggle.