SEOUL — Leaders of the Korean Medical Association (KMA) underwent further questioning on Wednesday regarding their potential involvement in a mass walkout by trainee doctors. This comes amid ongoing tensions between the medical community and the government over proposed increases to medical school admissions.
According to Yonhap News Agency, KMA's chief spokesperson Joo Soo-ho and organization consolidation chief Park Myung-ha were among the officials called to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's public crime investigation office for questioning. The government has accused five current and former KMA leaders of instigating the trainee doctors' protest against the plan to increase the medical school quota by 2,000 seats starting the next year.
Before the interrogation, Joo made a public statement threatening to initiate a campaign aimed at the removal of President Yoon Suk Yeol's government, accusing it of violating the rights to freedom of speech and assembly. Joo vowed to mobilize the support of 140,000 doctors to safeguard what he called the foundation of a free democracy.
This session marks the second and fourth times Joo and Park, respectively, have been questioned by the police in relation to the walkout.