Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo of the ruling People Power Party, a former physician, has demanded an official apology from acting President Han Duck-soo.

Han noted that the medical community and the public felt insulted by the declaration of martial law to “execute” unreturned physicians, including trainee doctors. He said that “an official apology from the government is necessary” for the government to resume dialogue with the medical community.

“The Yoon Suk Yeol administration's healthcare reform has failed miserably,” Rep. Ahn said at the beginning of his encouraging speech at the National Congress of Physician Representatives organized by the Korean Medical Association emergency committee on Sunday.

Han called for the government to form an emergency council and start discussing the issue of increasing the number of medical students, emphasizing that “it is the issue of life and death that is even more vital than the issue of making ends meet.”

“The emergency council should find and agree on (implementing) possible emergency measures, such as not carrying over unregistered students in rolling admissions to the quota of the regular admissions,” he said. “Only by creating an environment where medical students and trainee doctors can return will the healthcare system be restored.”

He also called for reconstituting the three-way consultative body of the government, political parties, and the medical community to discuss medium—and long-term healthcare reform.

“We should discuss how to strengthen regional and essential medical care, train physician-scientists, and increase the number of medical students reasonably,” he said.

Ahn also urged the opposition parties, including the Democratic Party of Korea, to take an active role.

“The major opposition parties should also join forces to solve the most important and urgent issue of people's lives, which is the expansion of medical school seats,” he said.