Doctors’ protests intensify in S Korea
Hospitals come under strain amid protests over plans to boost medical school admissions
More trainee doctors in South Korea have joined protests against a government plan to increase medical student enrolment, as authorities warned the protesters of consequences and the adverse impact on the hospital and healthcare system.
A total of 8,816 trainee doctors, or 71.2 percent of the junior doctors, have submitted their resignations and 7,813 walked off their jobs, Park Min-soo, second vice minister at South Korea’s Ministry of Health and Welfare, said at a news briefing in the morning on Feb 21.
The walkouts started on Feb 19 as part of a protest against a government plan announced earlier this month to sharply increase the nationwide medical school admissions cap by 2,000 next year from the current 3,058.
The government said the reforms are essential to cope with the fast-ageing society and address a shortage of doctors, especially in rural areas and essential medical fields, but doctors’ groups argued the changes will lower the quality of medical education and services.
In a poll conducted by Gallup Korea, about 76 percent of South Korean people support moves to increase the number of medical students.
Noting that the government has issued back-to-work order to more than 6,000 trainee doctors, Park said failing to comply with the order could result in serious punishment, including up to three years in prison, 30 million won ($22,480) fines, or even revocation of their licenses.
“The trainee doctors’ right to take collective action cannot have precedence over people’s basic right to life,” said Park.
In a statement released on Feb 20, the Korean Intern Resident Association demanded that the government completely withdraw the plan to increase medical school enrollment quota.
The group said the planned quota hike was an absurd figure that lacks scientific evidence and that the government should formulate a policy that reflects the voices of trainee doctors.
“Trainee doctors work more than 80 hours a week and are paid at minimum wage level, but the government has been neglecting this,” the statement said, adding that the government is treating trainee doctors who joined the protest like criminals by taking extralegal administrative measures to restrain them from taking collective actions.
Nearly 9,000 medical students also filed for leave of absence during Feb 20-21 to protest against the government’s plan, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing data from South Korea’s Education Ministry.
This represents 43.8 percent of the total medical school student population of about 20,000.
Interns and resident doctors play a key role in South Korea’s healthcare system, especially when it comes to emergency duties. As the walkouts widen, major hospitals started to show signs of strain, sparking concerns this may lead to a nationwide healthcare crisis.
On social media platforms, people started to post online about how their surgeries got postponed. Some major hospitals in Seoul also had to transfer some of their patients to other hospitals.
If a patient’s condition deteriorates to a serious one or dies as a result of failing to do follow-up treatment or taking emergency measures, the doctors can be held liable for causing death or injury due to negligence, or compensation for damages, a medical law attorney, Shin Hyun-ho, said in an interview with local broadcaster YTN.
The government has been taking various measures to minimize the impact on the public, including allowing telemedicine services and asking military hospitals to open doors to civilian patients.
South Korean President Yoon Sukyeol on Feb 20 urged young doctors to call off their collective action as their protest amounts to taking the people’s lives and health hostage.
The current quota increase still falls “far short” of the required number, said Yoon, noting that the supply of medical services has not been able to meet the rapidly growing demand.
South Korea’s population aged 70 and older outnumbered those in their 20s for the first time in 2023, according to data from the nation’s Ministry of the Interior and Safety.