Minister Jeong Eun-kyeong of the Ministry of Health and Welfare on the 7th expressed her sincere apologies to patients and the public who have suffered inconveniences due to the ongoing conflict between the healthcare sector and the government, which has lasted for a year and a half. She stated, "I will realize the right for patients to receive medical treatment with peace of mind." Minister Jeong met with patient groups for the first time since her inauguration in Gangnam, Seoul.
Minister Jeong remarked, "To avoid repeating that conflict, the priority task is for the public and the healthcare sector to restore trust," and added, "I will establish an institutional foundation to strengthen patient rights, as proposed in the currently introduced Patient Rights Act." She continued, "I will promote medical innovations that everyone can agree on," stating, "I will strengthen local, essential, and public healthcare."
Attending the meeting were Lee Eun-kyung, director of the Korean Federation of Patient Associations; Jeong Jin-hyang, secretary-general of the Korean Association for Rare and Intractable Diseases; Kim Sung-joo, representative of the Severe Disease Association; Jeong Ji-yeon, secretary-general of the Korean Consumers' Association; and Yoon Myung, secretary-general of the Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice.
Minister Jeong noted that there have been many accumulated and complex healthcare policies, making them difficult to resolve easily. She stated, "Plans are in place to create a healthcare reform committee and an innovation committee involving the public, healthcare professionals, and experts to formulate healthcare reform measures."
Due to the conflict triggered by the issue of increasing medical school enrollment, residents have left hospitals for over a year, causing significant inconvenience for patients as they sought healthcare professionals across different hospitals. On this day, the Ministry of Health and Welfare decided to essentially allow residents to work at their existing hospitals and departments upon their return in September.
Moreover, the government has decided to accommodate residents by allowing them to enlist in the military after completing their training, and if they enlist during their training, they will receive support to return to their original hospitals after discharge. The government plans to soon announce recruitment notices for residents for the second half of the year. Residents left hospitals collectively in February of last year but are expected to return, indicating a resolution to the conflict with the healthcare sector.