[News Today] GOV’T-SNU MED PROFESSORS MEET

[LEAD]
Amid ongoing disputes, government officials and Seoul National University Medical School professors convene today. They'll discuss expanding medical school admissions and normalizing medical education at a public forum. Will they finally come to an agreement? Here's more.

[REPORT]
The emergency committee of Seoul National University Medical School and Hospital professors, Presidential officials, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare meet for discussions and a debate.

The government side is represented by Senior Presidential Secretary for Social Affairs Jang Sang-yoon and Chung Kyung-sil, head of the medical reform promotion team at the Ministry of Health and Welfare while Kang Hee-kyung, chairman of the emergency committee, and Ha Eun-jin, a member of the emergency committee at Seoul National University Medical School, represent the SNU Medical School.

The session was proposed to the top office by the SNU medical college emergency committee.

The topic: 'Medical Reform, Where Is It Headed'.

The SNU emergency committee proposed four topics including a normalization plan for medical school education. It appears that the doctors intend to pick apart the government's medical reform plan.

While the Presidential Office is likely to explain in detail the need for med school quota hike.

The emergency committee said it had added the government side's agenda but was skeptical about the usefulness of further discussion since the issue had been fully explained at the parliamentary inspection.

Nonetheless, the SNU doctors said the meeting will be a venue for deliberation where both sides respectfully engage in dialogue, leaving the entire discussion process to be left open for everyone to see.

The session is aired live on 'Ministry of Health and Welfare TV', a YouTube channel run by the ministry.

Attention turns to if this meeting of the SNU medical professors and government officials can produce any agreement.