South Korean police have summoned officials from the Korean Medical Association (KMA) for questioning over allegations of breaking medical laws as authorities escalate pressure to end a two-week walkout by trainee doctors. Joo Soo-ho, a spokesperson for the KMA’s emergency committee, attended a police station in Seoul, with other senior members expected to be questioned in the coming days. The health ministry filed a complaint against KMA officials, accusing them of violating the Medical Service Act by supporting the walkout in protest of planned medical reforms. About 9,000 resident and intern doctors have left their jobs since February 20, causing disruptions in hospitals
The trainee doctors are protesting against the government’s plan to increase medical school admissions by 2,000 per year. The government argues that this is necessary to address doctor shortages in an aging society. However, the protesting doctors view the plan as a populist pledge ahead of the April general election and argue that it fails to address fundamental issues in the medical system, such as pay disparities and inadequate care in remote areas. The government has warned that medical licenses of protesting doctors may be suspended or revoked.
The ongoing dispute highlights challenges in the South Korean healthcare system, including concerns about low healthcare fees for essential medical care, resulting in doctors favoring non-insured fields to make money. The health ministry contends that increasing medical school admissions will help address an expected shortfall of 15,000 doctors projected by 2035 and plans to invest over 10 trillion won ($7.48 billion) to boost fees for doctors in essential services and support regional healthcare systems.
