(Dan Tri) – Emergency departments at Korea’s largest hospitals have been placed on alert, as a series of intern doctors announced their resignation.
A medical staff member at Pusan National University Hospital in Busan, South Korea (Photo: Reuters).
Korean Deputy Minister of Health Park Min-soo said that as of the evening of February 21, 9,275 intern doctors, equivalent to 74.4% of the young doctor team in Korea, had submitted their resignations and 8,024 people in
Mr. Park said the government has ordered more than 6,000 intern doctors to return to work.
`The strength of doctors does not come from collective action,` Mr. Park said at a daily press conference, calling on interns to `remember that patients are waiting for you at this time.`
Mr. Park also called on interns to participate in negotiations with the government.
Major general hospitals in Seoul and elsewhere are struggling to treat patients as confrontation between doctors and the government grows.
Doctors protested the Korean government’s proposed medical training reform program, proposing to increase the medical school enrollment target by 2,000 people from 2025.
Doctors are concerned that the plan to increase the number of medical school students could affect their income and social status, while also affecting the quality of medical services.
Meanwhile, this plan is supported by the public.
South Korean authorities announced they would order the arrest of those leading the wave of mass resignations of doctors nationwide.
Medical sources said that the collective resignation of doctors is raising concerns about a `medical care service gap`, when the operation of operating rooms is cut by up to 50 hours.
The number of surgeries has been cut in half at Severance Hospital in central Seoul, while St.
Despite the government’s order to return to work, interns show no signs of backing down.
In a statement, the Korean Intern Association, a major organization of interns, asked the government to withdraw its plan to increase the number of medical school students.
Doctors say the real problem is income and working conditions.
