Highlights: South Korea: interns resign en masse to protest against reform. More than 6,000 young doctors in training in South Korea have submitted their resignations and 1,600 of them walked off the job. South Korean hospitals were forced on Tuesday February 20 to refuse patients and delay surgical interventions. Doctors are fiercely opposed to the government's plan to sharply increase admissions to medical schools, saying it would harm the quality of services. The Korean Medical Association claimed the reform would create a "Cuban-style socialist medical system"

More than 6,000 young doctors in training in South Korea have submitted their resignations and 1,600 of them walked off the job to protest against a reform of medical training, leading, on Tuesday 20…

South Korea: interns resign en masse to protest against reform

More than 6,000 young doctors training in South Korea submitted their resignations and 1,600 of them walked off the job to protest against a reform of medical training, leading, on Tuesday, February 20, to disruptions in the country's health services .

Medical staff at the Gwangju University Hospital, South Korea, February 19, 2024. © Yonhap / AFP

By: RFI Follow

South Korean hospitals were forced on Tuesday February 20 to refuse patients and delay surgical interventions after the anger expressed by almost half of the intern staff in the country. Park Min-soo, a senior health ministry official, told reporters that the walkouts had already led to the cancellation of surgeries and disruptions to medical services. The government's top priority is to "

maintain emergency medical services and the treatment of serious cases in major hospitals

", did he declare.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said the government would not back down on reform "

necessary

”, according to him, to prepare the country to take care of a rapidly aging population. He urged doctors not to “

take people’s lives and health hostage

» through work stoppages. In particular, the government plans to increase the number of students admitted to medical schools by 65%, or 2,000 additional people per year, from 2025.

South Korea

has one of the highest rates of doctors per capita among the lowest in developed countries, and the government has long been striving to increase the number of doctors.

Opposition from interns and approval from the population

But doctors are fiercely opposed to the government's plan to sharply increase admissions to medical schools, saying it would harm the quality of services. The Korean Medical Association claimed the reform would create a "

Cuban-style socialist medical system

". “

I have submitted my resignation letter

,” Park Dan, president of the Korean Association of Interns, said on Facebook on Monday. “

With no regrets, I gave up my dream of becoming a specialist in pediatric emergency medicine. I have no intention of coming back

Supporters of the reform, for their part, believe that doctors mainly fear an erosion of their salaries and their social status. The reform is popular with the people, who, according to experts, are tired of long waits in hospitals. According to a recent poll by the Korean Gallup Institute, more than 75% of respondents are in favor of reform.

(with

AFP

)

Also listenInternational report - Academic and social pressure: the mental health of young people put to the test in South Korea

South Korea: interns resign en masse to protest against reform

South Korea: interns resign en masse to protest against reform

Opposition from interns and approval from the population

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