"There's no hope for Joseon"… Ahn Cheol-soo reacts to Lee Kuk-jong's outcry

Ahn Cheol-soo, a candidate in the People Power Party's presidential primary, mentioned the lecture by Lee Kuk-jong, the director of the National Medical Center, stating, "I will create a country where he does not have to shout in anger again."

On the 17th, Ahn expressed through his social media, "It is truly devastating that Professor Lee Kuk-jong has reached the point of saying 'leave Korea,'" adding, "Lee Kuk-jong's despair symbolizes the despair of the Republic of Korea's medical system and, further, the collapse of the entire national system."

Previously, on the 14th, during a lecture given to military medical officer candidates, Professor Lee expressed his sorrow, stating, "Joseon is a country where only the 문과 (liberal arts) people take everything," and, "Having worked in trauma surgery for a lifetime, nothing has changed, and all I received was a notice of dismissal."

He further proclaimed, "There is no hope for Joseon. Get out of Joseon," which caused a social uproar. Citizens reacted, questioning, "How frustrated must Professor Lee Kuk-jong be to say such things?"

"Result of excessive medical school expansions and desk administration lacking field knowledge"

Ahn, who is a physician by training, characterized this issue as a failure of the current government's medical policy. He criticized, "The result of pushing through medical school enrollment without communicating with the field has ended in failure, resulting in a concentration of personnel only in certain specializations, such as dermatology and plastic surgery."

He also pointed out, "The Republic of Korea's medical system, recognized for its 'low-cost high-efficiency,' has been seriously damaged by this policy, potentially leading to a waste of over 5 trillion won in national funds."

Ahn argues that this distorted policy direction leads to the collapse not only of the medical field but of the entire science and technology sector. He lamented, "The engineering fields are collapsing, and scientists are leaving. This is why the saying 'only the 문과 people take everything' has emerged."

"A leader who understands the field is now necessary"

Ahn emphasized that he is the leader who can actually solve the problem. He stated, "Until now, we have chosen ideological figures who only shout slogans as our leaders, but now we need someone who knows the field and can propose solutions."

He asserted, "I have experience as a doctor, scientist, professor, and manager. Based on that experience, I can provide practical solutions," and added, "I will surely complete the 'era reform' so that those dedicated to the public and those who want to contribute through science and technology will no longer face despair."

Meanwhile, Ahn passed the first round of the People Power Party's presidential primary the previous day and is now preparing for the second primary round.

As it is anticipated that candidates Kim Moon-soo, Han Dong-hoon, and Hong Joon-pyo will smoothly advance to the second primary, Ahn is in a fierce competition with Na Kyung-won for the remaining spot.

Image source: Ahn Cheol-soo candidate / News1, Lee Kuk-jong professor / News1, News1.