South Korea to take final steps to suspend doctor licences starting next week
South Korea's government will take final steps to suspend the licenses of striking junior doctors next week, officials said on Thursday.
The medical workers have so far refused to end their walkouts despite the impact on the country’s medical services.
More than 90 per cent of South Korea's 13,000 medical interns and residents have been on strike for about a month to protest the government’s plan to sharply increase medical school admissions.
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Their strikes have caused hundreds of cancelled surgeries and other treatments at hospitals.
South Korea, with its rapidly ageing population and low doctor-to-population ratio, needs more doctors, officials say.
But doctors say schools can’t handle an abrupt, steep increase in students, and that it would ultimately undermine the country’s medical services.
Move to suspend licenses
The government has been taking a series of administrative steps required to suspend their licenses after they missed a government-set February 29 deadline to return to work.
The steps include sending officials to formally confirm the absences of strikers, informing them of possible license suspensions, and giving them chances to respond.
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Vice Health Minister Park Minsoo told a briefing on Thursday that the government is expected to complete those steps for some of the striking doctors next week and will send them notices about its final decision to suspend their licenses.
Park earlier said that under South Korea's medical law, the striking doctors could face a minimum three-month suspension and even indictments by prosecutors for refusing the government's back-to-work order.
He urged the striking doctors to return to work immediately, suggesting those who ended their strikes could receive softer punishments.
It is unclear whether and how many striking doctors would return to their hospitals at the last minute.
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According to Park, none of the strikers who were informed of their possible license suspension has responded.
Senior doctors at major uni
versity hospitals recently decided to submit resignations next week in support of the junior doctors. Still, most of them will likely continue to report to work. If they walk off the job, that would hurt
South Korea’s medical services severely.