Future of impeached president's major reforms now uncertain

Then-President Yoon Suk Yeol answers questions during a press briefing following the announcement of his administration’s four major reform initiatives, Aug. 29, 2024. Korea Times photo by Wang Tae-suk

With President Yoon Suk Yeol now impeached, the future of key policies pursued by his administration is now uncertain.

While pension reform is expected to move forward, medical reform, particularly the controversial plan to increase the medical school admissions quota, appears to be facing a significant setback.

As the country prepares for an early presidential election following Yoon’s impeachment ruling, a change in leadership is expected to stall many of the government’s ongoing administrative efforts.

Among the most affected are the four major reform initiatives Yoon had championed as "urgent and critical," including medical and pension reforms.

Medical reform, which has faced strong opposition from health-care professionals for over a year, now risks being pushed back to square one.

In response to the Constitutional Court’s ruling on Yoon’s impeachment, medical groups expressed hope for a reset in the government’s approach and called for an immediate halt to current reform measures.

The Korea Medical Association (KMA) and the Korean Intern Resident Association (KIRA) each issued statements Friday welcoming the court’s decision. Both groups urged the government to suspend its current policies and reopen discussions on the proposed increase in medical school quotas.

The KMA stated that the government must withdraw its push for medical school reform and restart a transparent dialogue, emphasizing the need for renewed trust between the medical community and the government. KIRA echoed the sentiment, calling on the government to adopt a more flexible stance and take responsibility for the protracted standoff.

Although some medical students have begun returning to campuses in line with the government and schools’ ultimatum — which included a conditional reduction in the admissions increase — many remain reluctant to resume classes, signaling that the crisis is far from over.

On the other hand, pension reform is expected to move forward despite Yoon’s impeachment. A third pension reform bill was formally promulgated on Tuesday, backed by a rare bipartisan agreement between the ruling and opposition parties.

The core of the reform involves raising the contribution rate from nine percent to 13 percent and increasing the income replacement rate from 41.5 percent to 43 percent. These changes are projected to delay the depletion of the pension fund by eight years, pushing it from 2056 to 2064.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to move ahead with implementing the revised National Pension Act, scheduled to take effect in January next year.

While the timeline for structural pension reform may shift depending on the evolving political landscape, the health ministry is maintaining its focus on follow-up tasks. Officials also said that a preparatory meeting will be held soon to ensure the rollout of the revised law and to discuss further steps.