President of the Medical Association, Controversy over Disability...Apologize after retraction of remarks

Lim Hyun-taek, chairman of the Korean Medical Association, withdrew his remarks and expressed his apology after criticism of Jang Sang-yoon, senior presidential secretary for social affairs.

Chairman Lim posted a post on his SNS yesterday (17th) afternoon criticizing Chief Jang's remarks that 7,500 students will take classes next year in the first year of medical school, but it is possible to educate them if they prepare for division.

Chief Jang then said, "I'm out of my mind, I'm a schizophrenic, and I'll stop talking irresponsibly and if I get what I said wrong, I'll return all my property to society and take responsibility for it," and wrote that he should make a deposit.

However, after a group of mentally disabled people protested the expression, saying that it was clearly disparaging the disabled, Chairman Lim deleted the post and posted an apology.

In his apology, Chairman Lim said he deeply apologized to psychiatric patients, their families, and their doctors, saying he hurt them with inappropriate expressions, but Chief Jang was excluded from the apology.