The South Korean Ministry of Health announced on Thursday its intention to start suspending the medical licenses of trainee doctors defying a government order to return to work, amid a dispute over increasing medical school admissions. The government's decision to add 2,000 medical school seats nationwide has led to a month-long walkout by trainee doctors, with no signs of a resolution in sight.
According to Yonhap News Agency, around 5,000 trainee doctors have been notified of the impending license suspension, with a deadline for response set for next Monday. Approximately 90 percent of the country's 13,000 interns and resident doctors have been on strike since February 20, resulting in significant disruptions to surgeries and public health services.
The health ministry's actions aim to compel trainee doctors to resume their duties, warning of long-term consequences on their medical careers. The move has sparked further tensions, with medical school professors threatening to resign in solidarity with the junior doctors, potentially escalating the standoff.