President Yoon Suk Yeol has postponed his planned dinner with ruling People Power Party (PPP) leaders until after the Chuseok holiday, his office said Wednesday, amid differences with the PPP leader over the issue of the medical school quota increase.

Yoon had planned to host a dinner Friday with PPP leader Han Dong-hoon, floor leader Choo Kyung-ho, five Supreme Council members and the party’s policy chief, but the presidential office said the meeting has been put off to prioritize the issues of people’s livelihoods.

President Yoon Suk Yeol (C) poses for a photo with Han Dong-hoon (L), the leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), and PPP floor leader Choo Kyung-ho during their dinner meeting at the presidential office in Seoul on July 24, 2024, in this file photo provided by Yoon’s office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

President Yoon Suk Yeol (C) poses for a photo with Han Dong-hoon (L), the leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), and PPP floor leader Choo Kyung-ho during their dinner meeting
at the presidential office in Seoul on July 24, 2024, in this file photo provided by Yoon’s office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

“Ahead of Chuseok, the priority is to show how we are contemplating solutions to people’s livelihood issues, rather than showing the party and the government gathering for a meal,” a senior presidential official told reporters in a message.

“We plan to have the meal with the ruling party leadership after the Chuseok holiday,” the official added. This year’s Chuseok holiday, the Korean equivalent of Thanksgiving, will run from Sept. 16-18.

The postponement comes after Han proposed deferring the medical school quota increase for 2026 to help break an impasse over the government’s medical reform plans.

The presidential office reportedly balked at the idea, saying the government stands by its plan to increase admissions by 2,000 seats every year for the next five years.

Han took to Facebook on Tuesday to publicly propose the deferral of one year, noting a sudden increase in the nu
mber of students, including the approximately 3,000 current students who need to retake classes next year, could put a strain on medical schools.

“It would be better if there was a better alternative,” he wrote. “I feel a large sense of responsibility for people’s health.”

But a presidential official told reporters Wednesday “the position of the presidential office on medical reforms is consistent. There is no change.”

A senior presidential official later told reporters that deferring the 2026 quota increase would “cause great confusion in college entrance procedures due to the uncertainty.”

“The 2026 quota was allocated across universities and announced at the end of April,” the official said, noting current high school juniors and their parents are already preparing for admissions with that quota in mind.

On concerns the health care system will be overburdened during the Chuseok holiday due to an ongoing protest by trainee doctors, the official said the government has come up with special measures to a
ccept only emergency patients to emergency rooms and sees little chance of “chaos.”

Source: Yonhap News Agency