Jung Da-hyun is a reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues in Korea, including foreign residents, education, environment and politics. Driven by a deep interest in people’s stories, she focuses on investigative and feature reporting through direct interviews and field coverage. She received the Amnesty International Korea Media Award for her “Deepfake Crisis at Schools” series. Reach her at dahyun08@koreatimes.co.kr. Always open to hearing your stories.
Tensions between doctors, government reach crescendo
A doctor walks at a hospital in Seoul, Sunday. Yonhap
By Jung Da-hyun
Gov't shows tough stance toward doctors' mass resignation plan
Tensions are high as trainee doctors have been planning mass resignations until Monday over the government's plan to increase the quota for medical students.
In response, the government is prepared to stand its ground, vowing to take any measures available under the law, including revoking doctors' licenses, in order to achieve its medical reform.
Trainee doctors from the so-called big five hospitals in Seoul — Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul Asan Medical Center, Samsung Medical Center, Severance Hospital and Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital — were set to submit their resignation letters by Monday. They also plan to walk off the job the following day.
According to the health ministry, Sunday, 715 trainee doctors from 23 hospitals had submitted resignation letters, although none have been accepted so far as of Friday. Under the local medical law, the government possesses the authority to potentially revoke doctors' licenses should they receive criminal punishments after failing to adhere to an order to return to work.
However, amid the escalating backlash against the government plan to increase the medical student quota by 2,000 next year, a surge in resignations is anticipated on Monday, the deadline set by the Korean Intern Resident Association (KIRA), an association of interns and resident doctors.
The Korean Medical Association (KMA) also threatened, Saturday, to take "unbearable" action if any single one of the doctors is put at a disadvantage over the collective actions. The committee stated they could pursue legal action and go on an indefinite strike if the government persists in threatening interns.
Medical students are also joining the protest, with representatives from 35 out of 40 medical schools nationwide announcing their decisions, Saturday, to take a leave of absence together on Tuesday.
The Korea Association of Medical Colleges (KAMC) stated that during an emergency committee's extraordinary general meeting on Friday, student representatives from all 40 medical schools unanimously approved the mass leave of absence.
According to the Ministry of Education, Sunday, 160 medical students from Wonkwang University in North Jeolla Province have submitted applications for a leave of absence. While medical students nationwide had declared their intention to take a collective leave of absence, this is the first case of students actually initiating the leave.
Earlier on Thursday, Hallym University students announced their intention for fourth-year students to collectively take a leave of absence, but none of the students have followed through so far.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, center, delivers a public statement at the Government Complex Seoul, Sunday. Yonhap
In response to the planned strike, the government asked them to refrain from collective action, while restating its resolve to complete its medical reform by expanding the medical school quota.
"Actions that jeopardize the lives and health of the people through collective measures should not occur. Any real consequences stemming from a shortage in medical services will undoubtedly harm the well-being of people," Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said in his public statement at the Government Complex Seoul, Sunday.
"The government will prepare thoroughly and respond promptly to protect the precious lives of the people in any case."
He emphasized the need to secure a higher number of doctors in alignment with the aging population and the increasing demand for medical care.
Han also pledged to push ahead with the government's comprehensive policy package consisting of four core components according to the plan. The package encompasses increasing medical personnel, strengthening local medical services, establishing a safety net for medical accidents and enhancing compensation fairness.
In response to doctors' concerns that expanding the number of placements could adversely affect the quality of education and training, the prime minister explained that increasing the quota by 2,000 was not determined arbitrarily by the government but resulted from discussions with domestic experts and universities.
However, the KMA’s emergency response committee strongly criticized the government, saying it is "demonizing" and doctors and causing a "witch hunt."
"If the government tries to punish medical students and residents for their actions based on their free will by framing it in an unconstitutional manner, there will be a medical catastrophe," the committee said in a statement released right after Han's statement.
It added that the prime minister's statement did nothing more than build a case for suppressing and punishing doctors' autonomous actions.
In a separate statement, Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong said the government is open to talks with doctors, urging them to refrain from taking collective action.
"It is deeply regrettable that the Korean Medical Association is taking the path of protest," Cho said. "We urge medical workers to stand by patients, and the government will continue to leave the door open for dialogue."
Hours before the prime minister released his public statement, the health ministry said it had ordered major training hospitals to submit trainee doctors' daily work logs to monitor if they resign, join the mass resignations or stage a walkout.
A ministry official explained that the directive aims to prevent trainee doctors from departing their workplaces and staging collective actions even after they return to duty upon receiving an official work commencement order.
According to the health ministry, the impact of the return-to-work order persists even after the subject complies and resumes duties. Consequently, any subsequent departure from the workplace following the return is deemed a violation of the existing order, without the need for an additional directive to resume work.
Amid trainee doctors' looming walkout, hospitals are discussing measures to prevent any possible disruptions.
Certain hospitals are prioritizing patients based on the urgency of their medical needs and compiling lists of individuals for whom surgery can be postponed.
However, with trainee doctors constituting 30 percent to 40 percent of staffs at general hospitals, any prolonged collective strike will pose inevitable disruptions to medical services.