SEOUL — The South Korean government is poised to announce new measures on Monday aimed at resolving the ongoing strike by trainee doctors. The strike, which began in late February, has been in protest of recent medical reforms, including an increase in medical student admissions.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong will hold a press conference to outline the government's strategy to encourage trainee doctors to return to work. The move comes after months of unsuccessful attempts to negotiate with the striking doctors, leading to severe staff shortages in hospitals across the country. As of last Thursday, only 1,104 trainee doctors, or 8 percent of the total 13,756, were reported to be working across 211 training hospitals.
The government initially barred hospitals from accepting trainee doctors' resignations in an effort to keep them from leaving their positions, but this policy was reversed in late June in an attempt to stabilize hospital operations. Additionally, medical professors and senior doctors have begun to join the protests, further complicating the situation as hospitals prepare for the recruitment of new junior doctors starting in September.