South Korean Doctors Reject Government’s Offer to End Health Care Crisis
South Korean doctors have rejected the government’s proposal to resolve the ongoing health care crisis, extending the months-long dispute in the country. In a joint statement released on Friday, trainee doctors, the National Medical School Professors’ Council, and six other medical groups declared that it is premature to engage with the government’s consultative body.
Choi An-na, spokesperson for the Korean Medical Association (KMA), stressed that the government must first address key concerns. “The government should halt its investigation into the mass resignations of trainee doctors and abandon its plan to increase the medical school admission quota for 2025 if they truly want dialogue,” she said.
The crisis began in February with the junior doctors’ strike against government plans to raise medical school admissions. This protest has led to widespread resignations, resulting in severe staffing shortages across hospitals. While the government and the ruling People Power Party (PPP) recently proposed forming a consultative body to mediate the crisis, doctors are demanding the withdrawal of the quota hike plan, which would add 2,000 new medical students annually over the next five years.
Despite these tensions, President Yoon Suk Yeol visited hospitals in Seoul on Friday and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to health care reform. “We recognize the urgent need for reforms as doctors continue to endure overwhelming workloads under an unsustainable system,” Yoon stated.
In response to the shortage of medical personnel, the Health Ministry has deployed military doctors and public physicians to emergency rooms, though concerns persist about the long-term effects on patient care, especially for those with critical conditions.
