The South Korean government remains steadfast in its push to increase enrollment quotas at medical schools, despite strong opposition from the medical community. Second Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo stated that follow-up measures will be completed by May, with details of admission procedures to be finalized by the end of the month.
Approximately 12,000 interns and resident doctors have been on strike since February 20 in protest of the quota hike, leading to the cancellation or delay of surgeries and other medical services at major hospitals. Despite the ongoing strike, the government recently allocated an additional 2,000 admission seats to universities.
Senior doctors have refused to engage in talks with the government unless the reform push is scrapped, leading to medical professors at major university hospitals resigning in support of the junior doctors’ labor action. However, Second Vice Health Minister Park urged doctors to come to the table for discussions “without conditions.”
There have been reports of coercion within the medical community to participate in the strike, prompting the government to promise protective measures for doctors who choose to remain at work. The future of negotiations between the government and the medical community remains uncertain as tensions continue to escalate.
