In South Korea, nearly 9,000 trainee doctors who opposed the government's policy to increase the capacity of medical schools have quit their jobs, an unprecedented situation that is reportedly having an impact on the medical field.
The South Korean government has taken strict measures, including initiating the process of temporarily suspending the medical licenses of these trainee doctors, but there is no end in sight to the situation.
Last month, the South Korean government announced a plan to increase the capacity of medical schools by 60% from the current level in order to address the shortage of doctors.
In response to this, medical organizations have strongly opposed the move, saying, ``A rapid increase in the number of doctors will lead to a decline in the quality of doctors.Improving the medical environment should be prioritized.''
In addition, approximately 10,000 trainee doctors across the country have submitted letters of resignation to the hospitals where they work, and an unprecedented situation has continued since late last month, with nearly 9,000 of them leaving the workplace.
The South Korean government asked trainee doctors to return to their workplaces by the end of last month, but the majority did not comply, and South Korean media reported that hospitals across the country were suffering from postponement of surgeries and closure of wards. I am told that there is.
At a cabinet meeting on the 6th, President Yoon Seong-yeol criticized the trainee doctors, saying, ``The actions of the doctors are abrogation of their own responsibilities and undermine the very foundations of the rule of law.''
The South Korean government has taken harsh measures, such as suspending medical licenses for three months for trainee doctors who continue to leave the workplace, but there is no hope of resolving the situation.