SEOUL: The crippling health crisis in South Korea (South Korea) shows no signs of easing.
The crisis worsened after a group of senior South Korean doctors announced Saturday (March 16) that they would resign effective March 25 as a show of support for their juniors.
Meanwhile, thousands of young doctors and interns from the “Ginseng” country have resigned en masse and have been on strike for almost a month protesting President Yoon Suk-yeol’s government’s health reform plans to increase the quota for medical student admissions.
Many important hospital operations that had been scheduled had to be canceled due to this crisis.
Representatives of medical professors at 20 universities – who are also senior doctors at public hospitals – held a meeting on Friday evening.
The 16 universities have agreed to withdraw, following in the footsteps of their junior colleagues, said Bang Jae-seung, head of the group, quoted by the AFP news agency.
“Medical professors at the university will submit their letters of voluntary resignation starting March 25,” Bang continued.
Bang did not reveal how many professors would resign.
South Korea’s Health Ministry reiterated its rejection of negotiations on the reform plan, stressing it would continue to implement health care reform “without hesitation”.
The government has ordered young doctors and interns to return to work or face legal action, and has moved to suspend the practice licenses of those who defy them.
The government also offered incentives to support doctors who refused to strike.
Bang said doctors rejected the government’s figure of 2,000 new medical students under any circumstances.
“We ask the government once again. Please consider the figure of 2,000. Without this, starting any negotiations is impossible,” said Bang.
“If the current situation continues, it won’t be long before the university hospital collapses, dealing a major blow to our country’s medical system,” he added.
Doctors say they worry the health reform will damage the quality of medical care and education, but critics accuse them of trying to protect their salaries and social status.
The young doctors said they had submitted a “letter requesting emergency intervention” from the International Labor Organization (ILO), claiming they were “forced” by the government to do things they did not want to do. The government denies these claims.
The health reform plan has broad support from the public, but a new poll by local media reports 34 percent of citizens want the government to negotiate to end the impasse.
