Lee Jun-seok, the presidential candidate of the Reform Party, visited the head of the National Medical Center, Lee Kook-jong, on the 24th and said, "There is no compromise or negotiation on a matter that involves life and death," adding, "As a presidential candidate, I will spare no support."
The candidate Lee and his party leadership, including acting party leader Cheon Ha-ram and Members of Parliament Lee Ju-young and Spokesperson Kim Sung-yeol, made an unexpected visit to the National Medical Center in the morning.
The candidate and his party directly boarded a firefighting helicopter to hear from Lee about the remote medical examination plan via drones and the current status of military medical infrastructure and areas for improvement.
During a subsequent meeting, Director Lee stated, "The landing point for the doctor helicopter must be within 50 meters of the emergency room to avoid missing the golden hour, but unlike other countries, we face many challenges due to conflicts between construction and aviation laws," and argued, "Medical policies must be designed to meet global standards with expertise."
In response, the candidate pointed out, "It is clearly an area that needs improvement when sending a helicopter three hours after reporting, as in the case of the late Private Kim Do-hyun, who died during training last year."
Representative Cheon also noted, "Regarding innovative attempts such as drone remote examinations, we will ensure that there is not a lack of budget, so soldiers do not have to spend their own money to learn drone piloting."
Lee Ju-young, a pediatric emergency specialist, stated, "Medical policy will inevitably fail if it does not listen to the voices from the field," adding, "It is important to concentrate on 5 to 6 regional centers and secure patient transport systems."
In response, Director Lee remarked, "The medical system cannot be maintained solely by the dedication of soldiers," and added, "Both doctors and soldiers are merely tools for implementing policies in the field, but treating them with care will change the outcomes. I hope society pays more attention to the voices from the field."