Hong Nam-ki "Medical Sector Strike Must Stop... Request to Withdraw for Overcoming COVID-19"

"Non-face-to-face Medical Care Can Be Used as a Complement to Existing Medical Services"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Hong Nam-ki emphasized that the medical community must stop striking, especially to overcome the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

On the 22nd, Deputy Prime Minister Hong posted on his social network service (SNS), "It is even more regrettable to decide to strike at a time when COVID-19 cases are sharply increasing mainly in the metropolitan area and the economic damage is greater than ever," adding, "We cannot help but ask what is more important than the lives and health of the people, and who benefits from the current strike."

Earlier, the Medical Association announced that it would hold a total strike by doctors from the 26th to the 28th in protest against the government's plans to expand medical school quotas, establish public medical schools, and promote non-face-to-face medical care.

Regarding this, Deputy Prime Minister Hong said, "Increasing the medical school quota by 400 students annually for 10 years, totaling 4,000, is an urgent and essential measure to address the shortage of regional doctors and specialists in special fields," emphasizing, "Many hospitals actually point out a shortage of doctors, and doctors themselves complain about heavy workloads. From the public’s perspective, there is a need to improve medical services to the extent that people say '30 minutes waiting, 3 minutes consultation.'"

He also explained that the medical school quota must be increased to resolve the medical disparity between Seoul and the metropolitan area and other regions. He stated, "Seoul has 3.1 doctors per 1,000 people, whereas Chungnam has 1.5 and Gyeongbuk 1.4, showing a significant regional gap. In areas with a shortage of doctors, it is difficult to access quality medical services in a timely manner."

On the 21st, medical residents training at general hospitals, including interns and residents, went on strike in opposition to the government's policy to increase the quota of medical school students. A resident is holding a solo protest in front of the main building of Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Regarding non-face-to-face medical care, he said, "Non-face-to-face medical care helps protect medical staff and patients and prevent the spread of infectious diseases during outbreaks, and can improve medical benefits for residents in medically vulnerable areas and chronic patients," adding, "Rather than unilateral opposition, it is more important to put our heads together to understand why non-face-to-face medical care has been activated overseas in countries like the United States and Japan, what side effects it may have, and how to resolve them."

He continued, "The medical community and the government have worked together with their best efforts to successfully lead quarantine and the economy in response to COVID-19," and said, "If the government and the medical community fail to unite in this more serious situation where COVID-19 is feared to resurge, the achievements and efforts so far could be wasted. To overcome the current crisis, everyone must join forces." He added, "I earnestly request the medical community to withdraw the strike on a magnanimous level for the lives and health of the people and overcoming the COVID crisis."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.