South Korea reconsiders plans to suspend striking doctors’ licenses amid health crisis

South Korea has backed down on its previous plan to revoke the licenses of striking doctors in an effort to end a months-long medical impasse.

Health Minister Cho KyooHong said the government will not revoke their licenses regardless of whether the strikers return to hospitals. The government’s goal is to address the shortage of doctors to treat emergency and serious patients and restore the training system for more professional doctors.

More than 13,000 junior doctors, including junior doctors, went on strike in February in protest against the government’s plans to significantly increase the number of new students. These strikes had a significant impact on the operation of university hospitals. A court in Seoul supported the government’s plan in May.

To address the ageing population and the shortage of doctors in rural and low-paying fields, authorities plan to recruit up to 10,000 doctors by 2035. While doctors argue that universities are not prepared for a sudden influx of students, critics say doctors are primarily concerned about possible loss of income.

(Disclaimer: With contributions from agencies.)