South Korean President vows that he would not tolerate the ongoing strikes by thousands of junior doctors

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol made a firm declaration on Wednesday (Mar 6), expressing his unequivocal intolerance for the ongoing strikes initiated by thousands of junior doctors.

Addressing a Cabinet meeting, President Yoon characterized the walkouts as “an illegal collective action” that poses a threat to public health and undermines the country’s governance structures.

According to reports from the AP news agency, he remarked, “The collective action by the doctors is an act that betrays their responsibilities and shakes the basis of liberalism and constitutionalism.” He further asserted, “An illegal action that infringes upon the people’s right to life will never be tolerated.”

A Majority of Doctors Missed the ‘Return to Work’ Deadline:
Since late February, trainee doctors have been protesting against a government proposal to augment medical school admissions by 2,000 annually.

Approximately 9,000 resident and intern doctors have ceased work since the onset of the strikes. They have accused the government of disregarding their arduous working conditions, which entail laboring more than 80 hours per week for close to minimum wage.

Although striking resident and intern doctors constitute only 6.5 per cent of South Korea’s 140,000 doctors, they represent a considerably larger portion, ranging from 30 to 40 per cent, of the workforce in some major hospitals.

Consequently, the strikes have resulted in the cancellation of hundreds of surgeries and other medical procedures at hospitals.

President Yoon’s administration has repeatedly implored the striking doctors to resume their duties or face legal repercussions, including indictments and minimum three-month license suspensions. The government had set a deadline of February 29 for the doctors to return, but a majority failed to comply.

The Korean Medical Association (KMA), which advocates for doctors in the nation, has voiced support for the striking doctors but has yet to determine whether it will actively participate in the walkouts.

Police to Interrogate KMA Officials:
On Wednesday, South Korean authorities summoned officials from the KMA for questioning regarding allegations of violating the country’s Medical Service Act. According to Reuters, the health ministry filed a complaint against KMA officials, accusing them of impeding government actions by endorsing trainee doctors who walked off their jobs.