South Korea gives protesting doctors end-Feb deadline to return to work
By Jack Kim and Ju-min Park
SEOUL, Feb 26 (Reuters) - South Korea's government on Monday told young doctors they had until the end of February to return to work or risk being punished for staging a week-long protest that has disrupted services for patients at several major hospitals.
Two-thirds of the nation's residents and intern doctors had walked off the job to protest a government plan to increase the number of students admitted to medical school in a bid to address what authorities say is a shortage of doctors that is set to worsen in one of the world's fastest ageing societies.
The protest has forced hospitals to turn away patients and cancel procedures.
"Considering the gravity of the situation, the government issues the last plea," safety minister Lee Sang-min said at the opening of a task-force meeting, adding that chaos was mounting in hospitals and emergency services had reached a "dangerous situation".
"If you return to the hospital you left behind by Feb. 29, you won't be held responsible for what has already happened," he said. "We urge you to remember your voice will be heard loudly and most effectively when you are by the side of patients."
The government has previously warned that it could take legal action against doctors who do not comply with a back-to-work order, including prosecution, possible arrest and stripping them of their medical licences.
The young doctors who are protesting say the government should first address pay and working conditions before trying to increase the number of physicians.
Vice health minister Park Min-soo said those who did not return by March 1 will face a minimum three-month suspension of their medical licence among other legal action.
Senior doctors and private practitioners have not joined the walkout but have held rallies urging the government to scrap its plan to boost medical school quotas.
Many South Koreans support the plan, which has been spearheaded by President Yoon Suk Yeol.
A recent Gallup Korea poll showed about 76% of respondents approved of the plan, regardless of their political affiliation and a separate opinion poll by Realmeter released on Monday showed that Yoon's approval rating had risen to 41.9%, the first time in eight months it has topped the 40% level.
In a package of policy plans to improve medical services, the government said it will increase the number of new medical students by 2,000 a year and expand legal protection against malpractice suits and prosecution.
It also plans to give incentives for doctors to practice in essential disciplines such as paediatrics and general surgery and in regional areas where shortage of doctors is more serious.
Some doctors, however, say the government's plan is aimed at winning more votes in the April general election. In a statement, medical professors at Seoul National University, which runs one of the top medical schools in the country, called on the authorities to postpone discussing the plan until after the elections.
Reporting by Jack Kim and Ju-min Park; Editing by Ed Davies and Miral Fahmy
By Jack Kim and Ju-min Park
February 25, 2024
South Korean doctors march to the Presidential Office to protest against the government's medical policy in Seoul, South Korea, February 25, 2024.
South Korean doctors march to the Presidential Office to protest against the government's medical policy in Seoul, South Korea, February 25, 2024.
REUTERS/Kim Soo-Hyeon
SEOUL, Feb 26 (Reuters) - South Korea's government on Monday told young doctors they had until the end of February to return to work or risk being punished for staging a week-long protest that has disrupted services for patients at several major hospitals.
Two-thirds of the nation's residents and intern doctors had walked off the job to protest a government plan to increase the number of students admitted to medical school in a bid to address what authorities say is a shortage of doctors that is set to worsen in one of the world's fastest ageing societies.
The protest has forced hospitals to turn away patients and cancel procedures.
"Considering the gravity of the situation, the government issues the last plea," safety minister Lee Sang-min said at the opening of a task-force meeting, adding that chaos was mounting in hospitals and emergency services had reached a "dangerous situation".
"If you return to the hospital you left behind by Feb. 29, you won't be held responsible for what has already happened," he said. "We urge you to remember your voice will be heard loudly and most effectively when you are by the side of patients."
The government has previously warned that it could take legal action against doctors who do not comply with a back-to-work order, including prosecution, possible arrest and stripping them of their medical licences.
The young doctors who are protesting say the government should first address pay and working conditions before trying to increase the number of physicians.
Vice health minister Park Min-soo said those who did not return by March 1 will face a minimum three-month suspension of their medical licence among other legal action.
Senior doctors and private practitioners have not joined the walkout but have held rallies urging the government to scrap its plan to boost medical school quotas.
Many South Koreans support the plan, which has been spearheaded by President Yoon Suk Yeol.
A recent Gallup Korea poll showed about 76% of respondents approved of the plan, regardless of their political affiliation and a separate opinion poll by Realmeter released on Monday showed that Yoon's approval rating had risen to 41.9%, the first time in eight months it has topped the 40% level.
In a package of policy plans to improve medical services, the government said it will increase the number of new medical students by 2,000 a year and expand legal protection against malpractice suits and prosecution.
It also plans to give incentives for doctors to practice in essential disciplines such as paediatrics and general surgery and in regional areas where shortage of doctors is more serious.
Some doctors, however, say the government's plan is aimed at winning more votes in the April general election. In a statement, medical professors at Seoul National University, which runs one of the top medical schools in the country, called on the authorities to postpone discussing the plan until after the elections.
Reporting by Jack Kim and Ju-min Park; Editing by Ed Davies and Miral Fahmy
Story by By HYUNG-JIN KIM, Associated Press •
South Korean Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo speaks during a press briefing at the government complex in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. South Korea's government gave striking young doctors four days to report back to work, saying Monday that they won't be punished if they return by the deadline but will face indictments and suspensions of medical licenses if they don't.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Junior doctors in South Korea have four days to end their walkouts, the government said Monday, or they could face prosecution or have their medical licenses suspended.
About 9,000 medical interns and residents have stayed off the job since early last week to protest a government plan to increase medical school admissions by about 65%. The walkouts have severely hurt the operations of their hospitals, with numerous cancellations of surgeries and other treatments.
Government officials say adding more doctors is necessary to deal with South Korea’s rapidly aging population. The country's current doctor-to-patient ratio is among the lowest in the developed world.
Doctors march toward the presidential office during a rally against the government's medical policy in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. The South Korean government on Wednesday warned thousands of striking doctors to return to work immediately or face legal action after their collective walkouts caused cancellations of surgeries and disrupted other hospital operations.
The strikers say universities can’t handle so many new students and argue the plan would not resolve a chronic shortage of doctors in some key but low-paying areas like pediatrics and emergency departments.
Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo said during a televised briefing Monday that the government won’t seek any disciplinary action against striking doctors if they return to work by Thursday.
Doctors march toward the presidential office during a rally against the government's medical policy in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. The South Korean government on Wednesday warned thousands of striking doctors to return to work immediately or face legal action after their collective walkouts caused cancellations of surgeries and disrupted other hospital operations.
(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
“We want them to return to work by the end of this month, Feb. 29. If they return to the hospitals they had left by then, we won’t hold them responsible” for any damages caused by their walkouts, Park said. “It's not too late. Please, return to patients immediately.”
But he said those who don't meet the deadline will be punished with a minimum three-month suspension of their medical licenses and face further legal steps such as investigations and possible indictments.
Under South Korea’s medical law, the government can issue back-to-work orders to doctors and other medical personnel when it sees grave risks to public health. Refusing to abide by such an order can bring suspensions of their licenses and up to three years in prison or 30 million won ($22,480) in fines. Those who receive prison sentences would be stripped of their medical licenses.
There are about 13,000 medical interns and residents in South Korea, most of them working and training at 100 hospitals. They typically assist senior doctors during surgeries and deal with inpatients. They represent about 30% to 40% of total doctors at some major hospitals.
Doctors stage a rally against the government's medical policy near the presidential office in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. The South Korean government on Wednesday warned thousands of striking doctors to return to work immediately or face legal action after their collective walkouts caused cancellations of surgeries and disrupted other hospital operations.
“We want them to return to work by the end of this month, Feb. 29. If they return to the hospitals they had left by then, we won’t hold them responsible” for any damages caused by their walkouts, Park said. “It's not too late. Please, return to patients immediately.”
But he said those who don't meet the deadline will be punished with a minimum three-month suspension of their medical licenses and face further legal steps such as investigations and possible indictments.
Under South Korea’s medical law, the government can issue back-to-work orders to doctors and other medical personnel when it sees grave risks to public health. Refusing to abide by such an order can bring suspensions of their licenses and up to three years in prison or 30 million won ($22,480) in fines. Those who receive prison sentences would be stripped of their medical licenses.
There are about 13,000 medical interns and residents in South Korea, most of them working and training at 100 hospitals. They typically assist senior doctors during surgeries and deal with inpatients. They represent about 30% to 40% of total doctors at some major hospitals.
Doctors stage a rally against the government's medical policy near the presidential office in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. The South Korean government on Wednesday warned thousands of striking doctors to return to work immediately or face legal action after their collective walkouts caused cancellations of surgeries and disrupted other hospital operations.
The Korea Medical Association, which represents about 140,000 doctors in South Korea, has said it supports the striking doctors, but hasn't determined whether to join the trainee doctors' walkouts. Senior doctors have held a series of rallies voicing opposition to the government's plan in recent days.
Earlier this month, the government announced universities would admit 2,000 more medical students starting next year, from the current 3,058. The government says it aims to add up to 10,000 doctors by 2035.
Striking doctors have said they worry doctors faced with increased competition would engage in overtreatment, burdening public medical expenses.
A public survey showed that about 80% of South Koreans back the plan. Critics suspect doctors, one of the best-paid professions in South Korea, oppose the recruitment plan because they worry they would face greater competition and lower incomes.
Park said the country's medical service for emergency and critical patients remain stable, with public medical facilities extending their working hours and military hospitals opening emergency rooms to ordinary patients. But local media reported that an octogenarian suffering a cardiac arrest was declared dead last Friday after seven hospitals turned her away citing a lack of medical staff or other reasons likely related to the walkouts.
Doctors stage a rally against the government's medical policy near the presidential office in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. The South Korean government on Wednesday warned thousands of striking doctors to return to work immediately or face legal action after their collective walkouts caused cancellations of surgeries and disrupted other hospital operations. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)© Provided by The Associated Press
Hwang Byung-tae, a 55-year-old laryngeal cancer patient, said he has regularly visited a Seoul hospital for treatment for four years. Last week, he said he had to leave the hospital without receiving an anti-cancer injection because of the walkouts.
Doctors march toward the presidential office during a rally against the government's medical policy in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. The South Korean government on Wednesday warned thousands of striking doctors to return to work immediately or face legal action after their collective walkouts caused cancellations of surgeries and disrupted other hospital operations.
Hwang accused both the government and doctors of holding the lives of patients hostage. “It’s patients like me who end up suffering and dying, not them,” Hwang said.
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PHOTOS
(Bae Jae-man/Yonhap via AP)© Provided by The Associated Press
(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)© Provided by The Associated Press
Associated Press writer Jiwon Song in Seoul, South Korea contributed to this report.
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