Despite Yoon’s exit, Korean medical system needs ‘rebuilding’: JKMS editorial < Hospital < Article

Even after the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, the damage done by his administration’s healthcare policies continues to affect clinical fields, medical education, and research in Korea, an expert noted.

According to Yoo Jin-hong, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Korean Medical Science (JKMS) and Professor at Catholic University of Korea, the situation is so dire that “reconstruction” is urgent, rather than “recovery.”

In his recent editorial in JKMS, Yoo pointed out that while the president has been removed from office, the damage to the healthcare system, caused by policies implemented during his administration, remains severe and widespread.

Yoo highlighted the collapse of clinical practices and the research infrastructure, which began after the government’s announcement of a 2,000-student increase in medical school enrollment in February 2024.

The policy led to mass resignations among residents and medical students taking leaves of absence, severely disrupting clinical operations and forcing university professors to abandon their roles in research and education to handle patient care.

As a result, university hospitals became unable to function properly, and professors had to redirect their efforts from teaching and research to clinical duties, he noted.

The research infrastructure also crumbled, with multiple research projects, ranging from basic science to international clinical trials, being halted.

This disruption has significantly impacted the continuity of research and the integrity of data, making recovery difficult, Yoo continued.

Furthermore, the country’s international academic standing has been damaged, with the number of medical paper submissions falling by more than 30 percent from the previous year, and some medical societies, like the Korean Association of Internal Medicine, reporting an 80 percent drop in submissions.

Yoo stressed that the situation calls for a rebuilding effort.

“This moment calls  not for recovery, but for reconstruction,” he said.

He also emphasized the need for professors to be able to dedicate time to research by reducing their administrative workload and providing substitute clinical staff.

Yoo called for the expansion of MD-PhD programs, scholarships, and the creation of dedicated research centers for physician-scientists.

Furthermore, he urged the establishment of a national philosophy that guarantees the autonomy and continuity of academic work, free from short-term political pressures.

Although the political turmoil has subsided, the academic and healthcare systems still face significant challenges.

To restore Korea’s leadership in biomedical innovation and medical education, Yoo concluded, the medical community, government, and academia must work together to normalize academic medicine.