[News Today] KMA CHIEF IMPEACHED

[LEAD]
Amid ongoing disputes in the medical field, Lim Hyun-taek, chief of the Korean Medical Association, has been impeached six months into his term. This is expected to lead to a renewed cooperation between the KMA and the resident doctors' association.

[REPORT]
The Korean Medical Association president Lim Hyun-taek is to step down six months after he took office.

As many as 75.9% of votes have been cast in favor of his impeachment.

Prior to the vote, the KMA chief deleted his social media account that had been criticized for harsh rhetoric, and even wrote a letter of apology.

However, that was not enough to spare him from becoming the second KMA head to be impeached.

Lim Hyun-taek / President, KMA
(How do you feel now?) Just a second. (Let's do it later. It's not a party.)

The representative of trainee doctors, who had been at odds with the executive authorities, immediately welcomed the outcome of the vote.

Park Dan / Head, Korea Intern Resident Association
Justice has prevailed. We will discuss what to do next.

The KMA switched to an emergency mode right away.

On Wednesday, it is set to select the head of the emergency committee and elect a new chief within a month.

At the same time the KMA is also determined to involve trainee doctors.

Kim Kyo-woong / Chairman, KMA representative council
We expect many trainee doctors to join the emergency committee, exchange opinions on whether to participate in the joint consultative body.

This raises expectations of a joint participation of residents and the KMA in the consultative body, which could create a breakthrough in resolving disputes between the medical community and the government.