South Korea will not revoke the licenses of striking junior doctors – JURIST

South Korea on Monday backed down from its plan to revoke the licenses of striking junior doctors. The government’s Medical Accident Control Department issued a press release about the decision, which was made to combat the country’s current doctor shortage.

Only a small number of medical students returned to work last Friday and only eight percent of the thousands of trainees were working in 210 teaching hospitals. Each teaching hospital is due to resume operations on July 22 and trainees who do not return are to resign by July 15.

The South Korean government had previously warned that medical students had until March 1, 2024, to return to work or face prosecution or revocation of their licenses.

The government’s move not to suspend licenses could lead to accusations that it is unfair because of the way the government has handled previous strikes. Cho Kyoo-Hong said the government was already aware of the potential criticism of its decision and that Medical Action Central’s Accident Management Department decided to withdraw from the plan to ensure treatment of critically ill and emergency patients and maintain continuity of medical education. The cap on enrollment in medical schools will remain at the current 3,058 places.

In February 2024, thousands of medical interns and residents resigned from their jobs in protest against a government initiative to increase admissions to medical schools to 2,000 places starting in 2025. Residents and residents argued that the government should not focus on increasing admissions, but on the working environment and pay.

Since 40 percent of hospital staff in South Korea are medical students, the layoffs led to conflicts over hospital care and long waiting times. On July 4, 2024, Korean patients protested the four-month strike. At least one citizen claimed that the strike caused the death of a relative.

In Korea, the government allows hospitals to charge a fixed service fee for necessary medical care such as pediatrics and emergency room, but since this was low, doctors focused on dermatology and plastic surgery due to the higher salaries. The government’s plan to increase admissions to medical schools was designed to address a doctor shortage caused by an aging population and to increase the salaries of doctors in rural areas, especially in unpopular fields such as pediatrics. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reports that the doctor-patient ratio in South Korea is the lowest of all countries with high levels of economic prosperity.

As a result of the protests, the government had planned to suspend and revoke medical licenses, but has since reconsidered this stance due to public interest. Cho Kyoo-Hong has asked aspiring doctors to speak about working conditions and admissions to medical schools. The Ministry of Health and Welfare states on South Korea’s official website that the residency permit law will come into effect in 2026, but for now, working residents will enjoy special privileges, including a reduction in working hours.