The Korean Intern Resident Association (KIRA) will hold an online extraordinary general assembly of delegates at 2 p.m. on the 14th to discuss a response plan to the government's policy to increase medical school enrollment.
The association posted a notice on its website on the 11th announcing the convening of the assembly. The agenda has only one item: "on responding to current medical issues." In effect, it means they will decide how forcefully to respond to the medical school enrollment increase.
The government has announced a policy to increase medical school admissions by an annual average of 668 students over the next five years starting next year. When a plan to add 2,000 students was announced under Yoon Suk-yeol, residents led the protests; attention inside and outside the medical community is now focused on what choice they will make this time.
At the National Doctors' Representatives Conference on the 31st, before the enrollment increase was announced, Han Seong-john, president of the association, released the results of an internal survey. It said 75% of residents answered that an "active response is necessary" to the enrollment increase issue. He also urged the Korean Medical Association Organization to show clearer leadership.
At the time, Han was also reported to have said that the association could not accept the government's proposed plan to add 580 students. It indicates that the mood of not backing down remains, even though the size of the increase has been reduced.