In response to a mass walkout by trainee doctors, South Korea initiates emergency measures, deploying military and community doctors to hospitals within the next few days, announced Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Han earnestly implored the young doctors to resume work by a government-set Thursday deadline, assuring them that authorities are committed to addressing their concerns. During a government meeting, he acknowledged the serious apprehensions trainee doctors have regarding the work environment and future career, emphasizing ongoing efforts to implement improvements from various perspectives.
The walkout, involving two-thirds of the nation’s residents and intern doctors, is a protest against a government plan to increase medical school admissions, aimed at mitigating a perceived shortage of doctors. The protesting doctors contend that the government should prioritize addressing pay and working conditions before expanding the physician workforce.
The government has issued warnings of potential license suspensions for doctors failing to comply with the back-to-work order.
Prime Minister Han disclosed that, starting next month, doctors serving in the military and at local clinics as part of mandatory military service will be assigned to hospitals affected by the walkout.
Approximately 9,000 trainee doctors participating in the protest have disrupted services at large hospitals, leading to patient rejections and the cancellation of surgeries and procedures.
Opposition to the government’s plan extends beyond trainee doctors, with senior doctors and private practitioners expressing discontent, citing insufficient consultation within the medical community regarding the increase in new medical school admissions.
President Yoon Suk Yeol firmly stated that the widely-supported plan is non-negotiable, asserting there is no justification for doctors to abandon their positions amidst the ongoing healthcare crisis.
