South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said on Monday that he would not yield to strong protests from medical professionals who want to thwart his plans to significantly raise medical school admissions. He referred to the doctors' walkouts as "an illegal collective action" and said they posed "a grave threat to our society."
The six-week strike by over 12,000 medical interns and residents in South Korea has resulted in the cancellation of hundreds of procedures and other treatments at university hospitals. Even though they are still treating patients, a large number of senior physicians at their teaching institutions have resigned in support of their actions.
South Korea Doctors' Strike
Officials have stated motives to increase the number of medical students accepted per year by 2,000 with the goal of strengthening the physician workforce in South Korea and addressing the urgent healthcare demands of the aging population.
Doctors, on the other hand, are opposed to this approach, arguing that the unexpected increase in students might overload educational institutions and compromise the standard of healthcare services.
While proponents of the government's proposal highlight the necessity of expanding the pool of healthcare professionals to meet growing demand, critics, including some within the medical community, express concerns over potential ramifications. They suggest that the surge in doctors could lead to a reduction in future earnings for medical practitioners, who currently enjoy lucrative salaries.
There is broad support among South Koreans, according to recent public opinion surveys, for government attempts to increase the number of healthcare workers.
But the public's rising dissatisfaction with the protracted impasse between the medical community and the government might have an effect on the next legislative elections, according to South China Morning Post.
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Yoon Suk Yeol Urges Medical School Action Amid Strikes
President Yoon Suk Yeol addressed the need for more medical school admissions in a televised speech, citing the need to address shortages in underrepresented fields including pediatrics and emergency medicine as well as in rural regions. Yoon emphasized the significance of acting quickly to improve the doctor-to-patient ratio, which is now below international norms.
President Yoon repeated the government's openness to have discussions to resolve the concerns expressed by medical professionals, even as he asked the striking physicians to return to work. He warned against the "illegal collective action" that some physicians were engaging in, calling it a serious danger to the stability of society.
A spokesperson for the Korean Nursing Association, still applauded the government's action to protect nurses' rights and mentioned ongoing association talks on the subject.
Major hospitals have experienced service disruptions as an outcome of the strike action initiated by medical interns and residents, which has caused surgeries and other medical operations to be postponed or canceled.
Some senior physicians and private practitioners have expressed support for the junior doctors who are protesting, despite requests from government authorities to put a stop to the strike.
Vice-Health Minister Park Min-soo reiterated the government's stance, urging striking doctors to return to work to avoid potential legal repercussions. However, this plea has been met with skepticism from some senior medical professionals, who view it as an infringement on democratic rights, China Daily reported.
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