SEOUL - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has called for a more adaptable approach to handling the suspension of medical licenses amidst ongoing strikes by trainee doctors. The appeal was directed to Prime Minister Han Duck-soo during a meeting on Sunday, as reported by the presidential office.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the President has requested the Prime Minister to collaborate with various political entities to develop a flexible method for the suspension process of striking doctors' licenses. Furthermore, Yoon has suggested the creation of a "constructive consultative body" aimed at fostering dialogue with the medical community.
This directive from President Yoon follows a discussion between Han Dong-hoon, the leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), and a group of medical professors. The conversation centered on the recent wave of protests from the medical sector, particularly from trainee doctors.
The background of the unrest lies in the government's policy to increase the number of medical school admissions by 2,000, raising the quota from the current 3,058 to address healthcare service shortages in rural areas and underrepresented medical fields. This decision has led to a significant strike involving more than 90 percent of the nation’s 13,000 trainee doctors, manifesting mainly through mass resignations for approximately a month.
In response to the strike and the trainee doctors' failure to meet a government-imposed deadline to resume work, the government initiated the process of suspending the medical licenses of those involved. The suspensions are scheduled to commence this Tuesday for some of the striking doctors.