Chairman of the Korean Medical Association, "If the medical student takes leave of absence approval, the consultative body will participate."

The Korean Medical Association, which decided to participate in the ruling and opposition parties' consultative body, and the Korean Medical University and Medical Graduate Association have approved the government's leave of absence for medical students as a condition for participation in the consultative body.

Lee Jin-woo, chairman of Korean Medical Association, said in a phone call with YTN that "approval of medical leave of absence" among the five requirements is a prerequisite that must be resolved before participating in the consultative body.

He also explained that if the government does not take action on the medical student leave of absence, it will not go to the ruling and opposition parties' council, and if it takes action, it will attend the council as soon as possible.

Chairman Lee said the Korean Medical Association agreed to the medical association's request that the medical student leave of absence should be resolved as a precondition, adding that he expects the Ministry of Education to approve the leave of absence.

As the Korean Medical Association and the Medical Association, which said they would participate in the ruling and opposition council for the first time among doctors' groups, set "approval of medical student leave of absence" as a prerequisite, pain is expected from the launch of the council.

Earlier, the two organizations announced their participation in the ruling and opposition parties' consultative body, along with five requirements: approval of medical student leave of absence, discussion of medical school capacity for the 2025 academic year, and establishment of a detailed roadmap for legislating a doctor's quota estimation body.