Leader of doctors' group questioned for 3rd time over trainee doctors' walkout
Park Myung-ha, chief of the Korean Medical Association emergency committee's organizational affairs, speaks in front of the press upon attending a police questioning in Seoul, March 18. Yonhap
Police questioned a leader of the Korean Medical Association (KMA), the country's biggest doctors' group, for the third time Monday over suspicions of instigating a mass walkout by trainee doctors.
After arriving at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's office in the district of Mapo, Park Myung-ha, chief of the KMA emergency committee's organizational affairs, called on the government to open negotiations with doctors about the decision to increase the country's medical school enrollment quota.
"We ask the people to think again about our resistance toward the wrong government policy, and we plead the government to come out to the dialogue table with sincerity to conduct discussions from square one," Park said.
Park vowed to take on the investigation with an "unwincing mind," repeatedly denying his involvement in the collective resignations of trainee doctors.
More than 10,000 interns and resident doctors have stayed off the job in protest of the government's decision to increase the medical school quota by 2,000 from the current 3,058. Doctors say the hike will lead to a surplus of physicians, and compromise the quality of medical education and services. (Yonhap)