The South Korean government made a final plea to junior doctors to call off their strike hours before Thursday’s deadline, but many doctors are expected to refuse to comply with orders to return to work, threatening suspension of their medical licenses and prosecution. in danger.
Thousands of medical trainees and local residents have been on strike for about 10 days in protest against the government’s increase in the number of medical school admissions. Government officials warned of possible legal repercussions if the strikers did not return to the hospital by Thursday.
According to the Ministry of Health, as of Wednesday night, approximately 9,076 of the country’s 13,000 medical interns and trainees had submitted their resignations and been discharged from hospital. It was announced that 294 strikers have returned to work.
Medical crisis erupts in South Korea as thousands of doctors continue strike
As of 10 p.m. Thursday, there was no word on anyone else returning to work.
Observers say many strikers are likely to ignore the deadline and continue their labor boycott for weeks or months. Since Friday is a public holiday, the government is expected to begin formal action towards penalties on Monday.
Vice Minister of Health Park Min-soo said at a press conference, “If they return by today, we will not hold them responsible for leaving the workplace.” “Doctors are there to treat patients, and patients are anxiously waiting for you. This is no way to protest against the government.”
Late Thursday, Park met with several doctors for more than three hours, but there was no report that the situation had improved. Authorities invited 94 striker representatives to the meeting, but less than 10 attended, and they were ordinary strikers, not leaders, Park said. Asked about the government’s conscription plans, Park said he called for an end to the strike.
One of the striking doctors, Ryu Ok Hada, told reporters that he would not attend the meeting. He accused the government of treating young doctors who went on strike “like criminals and humiliating them.”
Medical professionals walk towards Seoul National University Hospital on February 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young Jun)
Kim Chun-hwan, a senior health ministry official, said the government will notify doctors whose licenses have expired starting March 4 of its plans to suspend their licenses and give them an opportunity to respond.
Under South Korean law, the government can order doctors to return to work if it determines there is a serious risk to public health. Failure to comply with such an order could result in a medical license being suspended for up to one year, imprisonment for up to three years, or a fine of 30 million won (approximately $22,500). Those sentenced to prison will have their medical licenses revoked.
Some officials said authorities would likely punish only the strike leaders to avoid further strain on hospital operations.
At the heart of the controversy is the government’s plan to increase the number of applicants to medical schools by an additional 2,000 people from next year, an increase of two-thirds from the current 3,058. The government has said it aims to add up to 10,000 new doctors by 2035 to tackle the rapidly aging population. Officials say South Korea has one of the lowest ratios of doctors to population among developed countries.
However, many doctors have rejected this plan, arguing that universities are not prepared to provide quality education to so many new students. It also said the government’s plan would not address the chronic shortage of doctors in essential but low-paid specialties such as paediatrics and emergency departments.
But their critics argue that the striking junior doctors are simply worried about an expected drop in income due to the sharp increase in the number of their fellow doctors. Opinion polls show that the government’s plan is widely supported by South Koreans.
Kim Young-ja, an 89-year-old housewife, said near a hospital in Seoul: “Doctors have to treat the sick. If all the doctors leave, who will treat them? Everyone will die.” .
Although South Korea’s 13,000 trainee doctors represent only a fraction of South Korea’s 140,000 doctors, they account for approximately 30-40% of the total number of doctors in some large hospitals and are an important part of supporting senior medical staff. He plays many roles.
According to the Ministry of Health, hundreds of surgeries and other treatments at hospitals have been canceled or postponed due to the doctors’ strike. The ministry said the country’s response to emergency and critically ill patients was largely stable as public health institutions extended their working hours and military hospitals opened their emergency rooms to the public.
However, experts say that if senior doctors join the trainee strike, South Korea’s medical services will be seriously damaged. The Korean Medical Association, which represents 140,000 doctors in South Korea, has said it will support the trainee doctors, but has not yet decided whether to participate in the strike.
The 60-year-old patient, who was diagnosed with breast cancer six weeks ago, said she wanted the strike to end early so her treatment could go smoothly.
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“It is necessary to receive treatment at the right time to prevent the cancer from worsening. Therefore, I hope that the trainee doctors can return to work as soon as possible and that the hospital operations will normalize,” the woman said, only identifying herself. He spoke with hope. Her last name is Yu, citing privacy concerns.
