South Korea has raised its health warning to the highest level after thousands of hospital trainees who opposed proposed medical education reforms resigned, authorities announced on Friday.
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Seoul's Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo told the press that 8,890 young doctors, or 78.5% of interns, resigned to protest the government's plan to dramatically increase the number of admissions to medical schools.
Of those who resigned, 7,863 did not report to work even though their resignation letters were not officially accepted and the government ordered them to return to hospitals, he added.
Doctors are considered essential workers in South Korea and the law prohibits them from striking. The government repeatedly says that mass layoffs are illegal.
This collective action led to cancellations and postponements of surgeries, with South Korean general hospitals relying heavily on interns.
“Due to growing concerns about damage to the health and lives of citizens, the health emergency alert level has been raised from 'caution' to 'severe',” Mr Park told reporters.
This is the first time the alert level has been raised to this level outside of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The government will temporarily expand telemedicine services to address the situation, Park added.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said the government will ensure all public hospitals operate at “maximum capacity,” with extended opening hours on weekdays and greater availability of services on weekends and holidays to ease the situation.
Seoul says its doctor-to-population ratio is among the lowest in developed countries, and the government plans to admit 2,000 medical students each year starting next year.
Doctors vehemently oppose this, claiming it would affect the quality of services. Proponents of the reform fear, above all, that it will reduce their salaries and their social status.
For interns, these changes are the straw that breaks the camel's back when practicing in difficult circumstances, and the current healthcare system largely relies on them.
However, polls show that about 75% of the population supports the reform, and people living in remote areas have difficulty accessing quality health care.