Doctors to go on strike on Dec. 5

By Kim Bo-eun

The Korea Medical Association (KMA) said Friday that doctors will go on a one day strike Dec. 5, as well as not working Saturdays starting today.

KMA members will close their hospitals on the afternoon of Dec. 5 and attend rallies across the country.

If their demands are not met, the doctors have vowed to go on an indefinite strike from Dec. 15.

They are demanding more say in deciding medical fees and are seeking better working conditions for interns, residents and doctors on monthly salaries.

“Our main demand is that we get more say in the medical fee decision-making process,” said a member of the association. “We will act strategically according to the government’s response.”

Fees for medical treatment covered by National Health Insurance are set by a review committee under the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

The KMA said the committee is not making reasonable decisions as the fees do not reflect rising prices and labor costs. It withdrew from the committee, comprised of eight members each from doctors’ groups, state health institutions and civic groups in May.

Doctors say the low fees are the reason they have to work long hours as well as Saturdays, and also partly why practitioners recommend treatment not covered by insurance to patients, the KMA said.

The association announced Monday it would stop working Saturdays to introduce a 40 hour work week. It expects 10 to 20 percent of its members to take part in the move, which will continue indefinitely.

In a statement released on Nov. 15 the group said, “While most employees work for 40 hours, five days a week according to the Labor Law, those in medical institutions work for over 50 hours, six days a week due to low medical fees set by the government, and this degrades their quality of life.”