[News Today] MEDICAL CRISIS CONSULTATIVE BODY

[LEAD]
The People Power Party will initiate a consultative body consisting of representatives from political parties, the government and doctors' organizations on November 11th, to address the medical service gap. Discussions will begin with or without the Democratic Party, involving medical organizations that have agreed to participate.

[REPORT]
The conflict between the government and doctors over a hike in medical schools' admissions quota has been continuing for nine months.

The People Power Party announced a plan to launch a consultative body consisting of representatives from political parties, the government and doctors' organizations on November 11th in order to discuss solutions.

Han Dong-hoon/ Chair, People Power Party
We'll launch a consultative body with all sides involved. Nothing is more urgent than the health of the people.

The ruling party plans to start discussions only with the government and doctors if the opposition bloc resorts to boycott.

The Democratic Party is maintaining its stance that it will only join the consultative body when trainee doctors take part as they are the key element to the ongoing medical walkout.

The head of the trainee doctors' organization said he is confident that medical students will not return to school even next year. He called on medical schools to stop the new student selection process for next year.

The Korean Medical Association and the organization of medical professors have not yet decided whether or not to participate.

Just the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences and the Korean Association of Medical Colleges said that they will join the consultative body.

Lee Jin-woo/ Chair, Korean Academy of Med Sciences
I hope the consultative body will formally kick off by Nov. 11 and the conflict resolved.

Concerns are growing that the consultative body will likely be left incomplete.

A variable is a general meeting of the Korean Medical Association, which will be held a day before the launch of the consultative body.

The meeting will discuss the formation of an emergency committee and a vote of no-confidence for Chairman Lim Hyun-taek who has been sparking controversies over his reckless remarks in addition to a clash with the chief of the Korean Intern Resident Association.

Some observers predict that the junior doctors' organization will likely move fast toward participating in the consultative body if Chairman Lim is impeached and an emergency committee is formed.

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