South Korea is again agitated by doctors’ protests

Last Updated on June 20, 2024 12:32 pm

The streets of South Korea are once again stormy with doctors’ protests. Doctors in Seoul have been protesting against the increase in medical quota. However, this time if the government does not accept the demand, the medical organizations of the country have threatened to strike for an indefinite period from June 27. On the other hand, the government has warned that there will be an acute shortage of doctors in the country within the next decade.

South Korea is one of the countries with the lowest ratio of doctors to patients among developed countries in the world. The country has about three doctors for every 1,000 patients.

Meanwhile, more doctors means more competition. There is a risk of reduced income. For this reason, the current doctors have been protesting for the past one month against the government’s plan to increase the number of doctors.

The Korean Medical Association, the largest organization of doctors in South Korea, has threatened an indefinite strike from June 27 if the government does not accept the demand. They called for reconsidering the issue of increasing admission in medical schools.

In addition, the Korean Medical Association called for a review of medical school admission quotas, the formulation of government policies for essential medical services, and the abolition of fines, including restrictions against junior doctors.

Meanwhile, the country’s Health Minister Cho Kyo-hong said he would begin visiting hospitals to take legal action against the protesting doctors. The government will take action against them according to law and policy. The health minister believes that this will be a major threat to the career path of doctors.