Lee Jae-myung, a presidential primary candidate for the Democratic Party of Korea, greeted attendees at a policy meeting on capital market revitalization held at the Korea Financial Investment Association in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 21st.
On the 22nd, candidate Lee announced, “I will rationalize the quota for medical schools,” stating that “we must start again with a social consensus involving all stakeholders.” This is interpreted as an intention to revisit the medical school enrollment issue that caused significant social conflict during the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, should he take office.
In his healthcare policy statement on Facebook, Lee said, “We must now end conflict, confrontation, and political strife.”
Lee remarked, “The recent medical crisis caused pain for everyone,” noting that “the government’s unilateral decisions shut the doors to dialogue with the medical community, and ultimately the public suffered the most.” He added, “Patients who couldn’t receive proper treatment faced life-or-death situations, and trainees and medical students left hospitals and schools.” It appears he holds the Yoon administration primarily responsible for the medical crisis due to its unilateral decision to increase medical school enrollment by 2,000 students.
As a solution, Lee proposed, “We must prioritize the public’s life and health and come together,” emphasizing that “we need to start again with social consensus involving all stakeholders, taking into account changes in the era brought by AI and advanced scientific technologies.”
Given his emphasis on “starting again with social consensus,” Lee seems to imply he will reassess Yoon’s medical school enrollment plan if elected. Rather than the government leading the discussion on increasing medical school placements, it seems he suggests pursuing a compromise through a ‘social dialogue body’ involving various stakeholders, including the medical sector, education sector, and civil society.
There are expectations that the ‘healthcare workforce supply and demand forecasting committee’ (Forecast Committee), established due to the recent passage and proclamation of the Basic Public Health Law amendment, will serve as this social dialogue body. The Forecast Committee is an independent deliberative body under the Minister of Health and Welfare, comprising up to 15 experts, with a majority recommended by the medical community. A Democratic Party official mentioned, “Once the new administration takes office, social consensus will be sought through the Forecast Committee,” and forecasted, “While all conclusions are possible, further increases in enrollment might occur.”
Lee also announced plans to “establish public medical schools to train public, essential, and regional healthcare personnel, and expand public hospitals with next-generation public healthcare systems based on digital infrastructure.” He added plans for “reforming the health insurance system for financial stability and efficient use.” There’s also a push from Lee’s camp to “resume the expansion of health insurance coverage, which was halted by the Yoon administration,” suggesting a future effort to balance financial stability and expanded coverage.
On Earth Day, Lee announced climate and environment pledges centered on a “coal phase-out.” He vowed to shed the label of being a “climate villain country” by achieving the 2030 greenhouse gas reduction goal and swiftly redefining reduction roadmaps after 2035. He also promised to close coal power plants by 2040 and to establish a national “plastic phase-out” roadmap. Lee stated, “With the bid for the 33rd UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP33) in 2028, we will create a ‘K-Initiative’ that serves as a model in the environmental field globally.”