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President Lee Jae-myung meets with Prime Minister Kim Min-seok for a weekly policy briefing at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul, on July 7. / Source: Presidential Office

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok met with representatives from the Korean Medical Association (KMA), resident doctors, and medical students on the evening of July 7, marking his first official engagement since taking office earlier in the day. The move is being seen as a potential turning point in resolving the year-and-a-half-long conflict between the government and the medical community.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the meeting was arranged at the request of the medical sector to discuss current healthcare issues. Attendees reportedly included KMA President Kim Taek-woo, Emergency Committee Chair Han Sung-jon of the Korean Intern Resident Association (KIRA), and Emergency Committee Chair Lee Sun-woo of the Korean Medical Students Association.

Earlier in the day, Kim met with President Lee Jae-myung at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul, for their weekly policy meeting. There, Kim briefed Lee on his scheduled evening discussion with medical representatives.

President Lee urged Kim to take an active role in resolving the situation, stating, “Please take the lead in addressing this issue.” He also called on the new prime minister to take full responsibility for executing national policies and to pay special attention to safety, public order, and people’s livelihoods. Regarding the ongoing medical standoff, Lee added, “First, listen closely to all sides involved.”

President Lee had previously emphasized his commitment to resolving the policy deadlock during a press conference marking his first month in office on July 3.

“At the change of government, it seems that some of the mistrust from the medical community toward the government has eased,” Lee said at the time. “With restored trust, open dialogue, and compromise where necessary, I believe this issue can be resolved.”

He also criticized the previous administration for worsening the situation with “excessively forceful and unreasonable policies,” stating, “These measures severely damaged the healthcare system, leading to significant national losses. Honest and timely dialogue is urgently needed.”