[News Today] CONSULTATIVE BODY ON MED VACUUM

[LEAD]
With the upcoming Chuseok holiday approaching, political efforts are ramping up to fill looming gaps in medical services. Starting yesterday, ruling and opposition parties launched talks to form a 'bipartisan medical-government consultative body.' Here's more.

[REPORT]
The chief policymakers of rival parties launched working-level discussions on forming a consultative body with doctors and the government to end the prolonged medical crisis.

In their proposal, the consultative body will likely involve three to four officials from each side.

From the government, health and education ministers and vice ministers are expected to participate.

From the National Assembly, the participants will be ruling and opposition party lawmakers on health and education committees as well as senior lawmakers specializing in medical affairs.

Park Jun-tae/ Floor spokesperson, People Power Party
The formation should happen quickly. I hope the opposition joins the discussion unconditionally to help ease public concerns.

The question is whether or not doctors are willing to participate.

The Democratic Party wants to discuss the 2025 medical school quota to encourage doctors' participation. But, the government and ruling party argue it's not feasible at this time.

Jo Seung-lae/ Senior Spokesperson, Democratic Party
It's the government and ruling party's job to form the consultative body, but there's concern that empty pledges won't make it happen.

The People Power Party's chairman Han Dong-hoon and other leaders are considering behind-the-scenes mediatory measures, including a face-to-face meeting with representatives of medical groups.

Aiming for the first meeting before the Chuseok holiday, rival party leaders will discuss forming the consultative body in Monday's meeting chaired by the National Assembly Speaker.

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