Korea healthcare standoff to worsen as professors vow mass resignation

The professors have called on the government to withdraw the plan to drastically raise the medical school enrollment quota and come forward for dialogue. (File photo: Mulyadi/Unsplash)

SEOUL – The monthlong confrontation between the government and doctors was feared to worsen further as medical school professors were to tender mass resignations and cut back on patient care starting this week, while the government was to suspend the licenses of striking trainee doctors, officials said Sunday.

More than 90 percent of the country’s 13,000 trainee doctors have been on strike in the form of mass resignations for about a month to protest the government’s decision to increase the medical school enrollment quota by 2,000 seats from the current 3,058 starting next year to enhance health care services in remote areas, as well as essential but less popular medical disciplines.

Joining the collective action, professors of medical schools nationwide will begin to submit their resignations on Monday and will reduce their weekly work hours to 52 hours by adjusting surgeries and other medical treatments, according to the national medical school professors’ council.

Starting April 1, they will also “minimize” medical services for outpatients to focus on seriously ill patients and emergency patient care.

The professors have called on the government to withdraw the plan to drastically raise the medical school enrollment quota and come forward for dialogue.

“Our decision to resign and reduce outpatient care was to ensure safe treatments for inpatients and those with serious cases,” a council official said. “Even after tendering our resignations, we will do our best to treat patients until the resignations are accepted.”

Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong once again voiced deep concerns over the planned resignations by medical professors and called on them to stand by patients.

“The government will further strengthen the emergency medical response system to minimize disruptions to medical services caused by the collective action,” Cho said after holding a meeting on the issue Sunday.

“We urge medical school professors to actively take part in discussing detailed medical reform measures.”

The government has made it clear that the planned increase of medical students by 2,000 was not a matter for negotiations, vowing to take action “in accordance with law and principles.” (Yonhap)