Residents visited patient groups to apologize for the medical gap after a year and five months of conflicts in medical politics. The residents collectively resigned last February and left the patients, but are currently discussing their return.
Chairperson Han Seong-jun of the Korean Association of Resident Physicians (KAR) visited the office of the Korean Patient Organization Alliance on the 28th in Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, and said, "I apologize to the citizens who experienced discomfort and anxiety." He noted, "The nation and the medical community have endured a long time of suffering and hardship," adding, "I agree that this should never happen again."
Chairperson Han stated, "As we experienced in the previous administration, nothing can be resolved through illegal orders, excessive regulations, or oppression," and added, "We also empathize with the need for severe medical reconstruction and addressing the imbalance in regional healthcare, and we will fulfill our social responsibility and create a better medical environment."
Alliance representative Ahn Gi-jong requested, "Please promise not to use patient lives as a means to oppose government policy," stating, "We must restore trust through unconditional voluntary return." This means the return of residents should be just as voluntary as their departure from hospitals.
Prior to this, the alliance began a one-person protest at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, starting from the 22nd with Representative Ahn. They voiced their position that returning residents should not be given preferential treatment. This meeting was reported to have occurred as Chairperson Han visited the protest site on the third day on the 24th.
Patients have urgently demanded preventive measures to address the medical gap. They suggested laws be enacted to ensure essential personnel remain in places like emergency rooms and obstetrics, even if doctors leave hospitals in droves. The aim is to prevent another medical gap.
Previously, residents went on strike in 2020 against the increase in medical school admissions and collectively resigned last year in protest against the medical school expansion and essential medical package policy. Remaining residents believe that the essential medical package policy, which prohibits mixed billing of salaries and non-salaries, should be reconsidered. They argue that non-salaries are a significant revenue source for private practitioners, thus mixed billing should be allowed.