SEOUL: South Korea’s Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong said Monday that authorities plan to start punitive steps against “illegal” labour action by trainee doctors who have defied the government’s order to go back to work.
About 9,000 trainee doctors remained off their jobs at general hospitals for the 14th consecutive day Monday, protesting the plan to add 2,000 more medical school seats starting next year, from the current 3,058.
“The government remains firm in its principle against illegal collective actions by trainee doctors,” Yonhap news agency reported Cho told a government response meeting.
“Starting Monday, health authorities will start on-site investigations to determine whether trainee doctors have returned to work and take measures under the law and principles, without exceptions, if they haven’t,” he added.
Ministry officials said they also started procedures to suspend licenses of some 7,000 trainee doctors, adding that such punishment is “irreversible.”
The medical interns and residents, who play a vital role in assisting with surgeries and emergency services at major general hospitals, have maintained their collective labour action, leading to mass cancellations and delays in surgeries and emergency medical treatment.
The government gave protesting doctors until last Thursday to return to work, warning them that noncompliance could result in punitive action, including criminal punishment or revocation of their doctors’ licenses.
So far, the warning has done little to bring them back to work.
As of last Thursday, 8,945 trainee doctors had left their worksites and 565 had returned to work, according to Yonhap. – BERNAMA-YONHAP
