In a hurry? Here’s a quick summary…
- South Korea faces healthcare disruptions as 4,900 junior doctors protest government medical training reforms, leading to suspension procedures for their licenses.
- Despite government warnings and measures to improve conditions, including deploying military medics, the standoff persists, prompting calls for dialogue to resolve the crisis.
South Korea initiates actions to suspend the medical licenses of 4,900 junior doctors who have resigned in protest against government medical training reforms, leading to healthcare disruptions.
The walkout, which began on February 20, opposes government plans to significantly increase the number of doctors to address shortages and serve the country’s aging population. However, medics argue that the increase will compromise service quality.
Despite government orders and threats of legal action, nearly 93 percent of junior doctors, totaling around 12,000, remain absent from their hospitals, prompting Seoul to deploy military medics and allocate millions of dollars from state reserves to alleviate the situation.
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The health ministry confirms sending administrative notifications, the initial step toward suspending medical licenses, to thousands of trainee doctors who defied orders to return to work.
Chun Byung-wang, director of the health and medical policy division at the health ministry, announces that notifications have been issued to over 4,900 trainee doctors as of March 8.
The government warns striking doctors of a potential three-month suspension of their licenses, delaying their qualification as specialists by at least a year.
However, Chun urges them to return to work, indicating that those who comply may avoid punishment.
Seoul introduces new measures to enhance pay and conditions for trainee medics and reevaluates the continuous 36-hour work period, a major concern of junior doctors.
Despite the government’s denial of a healthcare crisis, military doctors will begin working in civilian hospitals starting Wednesday to mitigate the effects of the strikes.
To address the doctor-to-population ratio, the government plans to admit an additional 2,000 students to medical schools annually from next year. However, doctors fear the reforms will degrade service quality and medical education.
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Under South Korean law, doctors are prohibited from striking, and the health ministry requests police investigations into individuals associated with the work stoppage.
While the reform plan enjoys public support, a new poll suggests that 34 percent of people believe negotiations between the government and doctors should resume.
Editorials in local media urge both parties to prioritize dialogue to resolve the dispute and prevent further healthcare disruptions.