Senior Doctors in South Korea Quit in Mass Protest Against Government Plan
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Senior doctors at major South Korean hospitals have begun resigning en masse in support of interns and residents who have been on strike for five weeks. The strike is in response to a government plan to significantly increase positions in medical schools.
Although the protest by senior doctors is not expected to immediately disrupt hospital operations, with many stating they will continue working after submitting their resignations, it indicates a deepening divide between healthcare professionals and the government. President Yoon Suk Yeol has called for negotiations with the doctors and hinted at possible leniency toward the young doctors on strike.
The interns and residents, numbering around 12,000, face imminent suspension of their licenses for continuing the strike, which has led to the cancellation of numerous surgeries and treatments at hospitals across the country. The medical trainees oppose the government’s plan to expand medical school positions by two-thirds, arguing that it would strain the healthcare system in the long term.
Representatives of medical professors and doctors from university hospitals have vocally supported the strike, emphasizing the potential negative impact of the government’s plan on the medical system. While acknowledging President Yoon’s efforts to engage in dialogue, medical professionals assert that a resolution can only be achieved through the withdrawal of the controversial proposal.
Amidst the unrest, concerns have been raised about the heavy workloads taken on by senior doctors in the absence of their junior colleagues. While the striking trainee doctors make up a small percentage of South Korea’s overall doctors, their absence has been felt particularly in large hospitals where they assist in surgeries and patient care.
With opinion polls showing public support for the government’s initiative to train more doctors, critics argue that existing medical professionals fear a decrease in earnings with an influx of new doctors. Authorities contend that more doctors are needed, especially in rural areas and lower-paid specialties, to address longstanding shortages.
As the standoff continues, both sides are grappling with the implications of the dispute on the country’s healthcare system and the future of medical practice in South Korea.