SEOUL—The South Korean presidential office declared a "zero tolerance" policy on Sunday in response to allegations that some doctors attempted to forcibly mobilize pharmaceutical sales representatives to participate in a rally against the government's plan to increase medical school admissions. This stance was announced as approximately 20,000 doctors were expected to converge on Yeouido Park in Seoul to express their opposition to the proposal to raise the medical school admission quota by 2,000 starting next year.
According to Yonhap News Agency, several posts surfaced on online communities before the rally, alleging that doctors were pressuring pharmaceutical salesmen to attend the event. Given the influence doctors hold over the prescription and selection of drugs, one post claimed that a sales representative was compelled to participate under the threat of having their products delisted by a doctor.
In light of these allegations, the presidential office issued a stern warning that any verified illegal activities would be addressed with utmost seriousness. An official from the presidential office informed Yonhap News Agency of their intent to closely monitor the situation, emphasizing the potential risks to public health and safety posed by the doctors' collective actions.
The police have initiated a legal investigation into the claims, suggesting that if substantiated, these actions could amount to illegal coercion and breaches of the Medical Service Act.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Lee Sang-min reiterated calls for striking trainee doctors to resume work, offering leniency to those who return to their hospitals by the specified Sunday deadline. This appeal was made as part of Lee's comments during a live interview on KBS, highlighting the continued absence of thousands of intern and resident doctors from general hospitals nationwide, now into their 13th day of protest against the quota increase plan.
Despite the government's previous ultimatum, which included threats of criminal punishment or the revocation of medical licenses for non-compliance, the warning has yet to significantly impact the ongoing strike. Minister Lee emphasized that the proposed increase in medical school admissions is crucial for supporting the development of South Korea's burgeoning bio industry, which he anticipates will become a vital sector for the country's economic growth.