"Struggle is the last resort." There's no room for it.Concerns over Prolonged Parliamentary Conflict

The Korean Medical Association needs to solve the 2026 medical school quota problem
The 26th-grade medical school quota will be confirmed by next month.
Each of the additional 1,500 responders..."No Single Plan"
Kim Taek-woo said, "Presidential vacancy..."Stopping discussions on the Special Committee on Medical Reform"

[Anchor]
The Korean Medical Association, which has been operated under the emergency committee system, elected Chairman Kim Taek-woo on the 8th to clear up the battle line.

It is expected that there will be a fierce confrontation between the government and the medical community over this year's medical education issue, next year's medical school quota, and the second implementation of medical reform.

Reporter Kwon Min-seok's report.

[Reporter]
The Korean Medical Association, which represents 140,000 doctors nationwide, will have to solve the 2026 medical school quota problem over the next month and a half.

This is because the 26th-grade medical school quota must be confirmed by the end of next month at the latest in May to announce the recruitment quota for each university next year.

Government urges unconditional meeting with medical community,

[Lee Ju-ho / Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education (last 10th): Considering the fact that most students were not able to attend classes in 2024 and the educational conditions of each school site, we will be able to flexibly discuss (the number of medical schools for 2026) at Zero Base.]

Kim Taek-woo, chairman of the Korean Medical Association, said he has no immediate plans to contact the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and pressed him to come up with this year's medical education plan before discussing the quota for the 26th grade.

[Kim Taek-woo / President of the Korean Medical Association (last 8th): I think the government should come up with a master plan. I think the answer to what we're going to do in 26 is only if we submit that education plan.

Chairman Kim should also come up with a single plan in the medical community, as some argue that he should reduce the number of students or not hire new students from next year in response to the increase of 1,500 people this year.

In addition, the government and the medical community are likely to face off in every case as they are negative about the second implementation of medical reforms that include reorganization of non-benefit and loss insurance.

[Kim Taek-woo / President of the Korean Medical Association (last 8th): It is hasty to announce what was discussed at the special committee on medical reform now, and it is enough that we need to go through the discussion process further..]

Chairman Kim, however, left room for a change in the government's attitude, saying that struggle is the last resort.

However, it is uncertain whether the government's decision-making will be made properly due to the suspension of President Yoon Suk Yeol, who pushed for medical reform, so there are many pessimistic prospects that the legislative conflict will not be resolved in a short time.

I'm Kwon Minseok of YTN.