On February 16, interns and residents at five major hospitals in South Korea announced in a high-profile manner that they would resign en masse to protest the government's medical school expansion policy.
Regarding the collective resignation of the hospital, the South Korean government also responded "toughly" on the same day, saying that if the doctors take practical action, severe punishment measures will be taken against the collective action of the medical community, including revocation of business licenses, financial compensation and other measures.
According to South Korean media reports, the Korean Medical Doctor Association issued a statement on February 16 saying that after discussions with representatives of doctors from the five major hospitals, it was decided that all interns and resident doctors in each hospital will submit resignation reports by February 19 and stop working from 6 a.m. on the 20th.
The five major hospitals in South Korea that participated in the resignation strike are Seoul National University Hospital, Yonse-backed University Severance Hospital, Samsung Seoul Hospital, Seoul Asan Hospital, and Seoul St. Mary's Hospital. The collective resignation of interns and residents as the main force on duty in the emergency department will lead to medical vacancies, which may cause great inconvenience to patients.
Since the afternoon of February 15, medical associations in many parts of South Korea have begun to hold gatherings and marches, with more than 100 doctors holding placards such as "(Korean) medical system will collapse due to rapid development" and shouting slogans, urging the South Korean government to cancel the policy of expanding the number of medical school places. Choi Yun-chang, president of the Jeollanam-do Medical Association, warned that South Korea's health care system was in danger of collapsing if the government unilaterally pushed ahead with policies to increase the number of medical school admissions.
Previously, according to Yonhap News Agency, the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Education announced on February 6 that they will expand the enrollment of new medical students from the 2025 academic year college entrance examination, increasing the number of students from the current 3,058 to 5,058, an increase of about 65%. The government will release the enrollment quotas for medical schools in major universities as soon as the end of this month and as late as next month at the latest.
Becoming a doctor in Korea is not something for every college student. Less than 1% of graduates are able to work in hospitals, having received 11 years of paid education and a one-year internship abroad. The result is that doctors become the most competent and highly qualified specialists. Doctors are considered one of the most respected professions in the country, and their average salary is 10 million won per month, which is 2.5 to 3 times the average salary in the country.
From the reference information provided, we can understand that the main reasons for the strike of doctors in South Korea include dissatisfaction with the medical school admission system, the medical licensing system, and concerns about the future development of the medical system. Physicians may feel that these changes will affect their professional status and quality assurance. On the other hand, in order to cope with the aging population and improve the accessibility of medical services, the Korean government has reformed the existing medical education system and increased the number of students enrolled in medical schools.
On August 26, 2020, tens of thousands of doctors in South Korea planned to strike for three days at the time of the epidemic in South Korea, due to the opposition of the South Korean medical community to the government's medical reform plan, and the breakdown of negotiations between the South Korean government and the medical community. From 26 to 28 August 2020, the Medical Association, which has 130,000 members, will conduct a second round of collective general strike for three days.
In dealing with the doctors' strike, the Korean government emphasized the need to deal with the matter in accordance with the law and ensure the continuity of public medical services, and the government took into account the long-term impact of the expansion of medical schools on improving the country's medical standards and the overall well-being of society.
The doctors' strike in South Korea is a complex social phenomenon that involves many aspects such as medical policy, doctors' professional rights, patients' rights, and national public health.
As one of the countries with the most advanced healthcare system in the world, South Korea owes its prosperity to the United States. In the 1953 year, after a civil war, the country fell into ruins. The medical infrastructure and health system are virtually non-existent. The U.S. Agency for International Cooperation helped South Korea gain a foothold by funding the construction of new hospitals and the training of Korean doctors.
For outside observers, the South Korean doctors' strike provides a window into the contradictions and conflicts that exist in South Korean society, and how the government is striking a balance between protecting the public interest, adjusting policies, and maintaining social stability.
Of course, when commenting on the policies and events of other countries, we should be objective and respectful, and avoid any language that could lead to misunderstanding or bias. At the same time, we also need to recognize that each country has a different social system, cultural background and level of economic development, so each country will have its own way and pace when dealing with social issues.