Prime Minister Jeong: "Medical Residents Leaving Site Without Permission Will Face Maximum Legal Sanctions" (Update)

"Increase in Clinic Closures Triggers Work Commencement Orders"

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun is giving an opening remark at the emergency countermeasure meeting responding to the medical community's collective action held at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 26th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwangho Lee] Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun warned on the 26th, "We will swiftly impose the maximum sanctions permitted by law on residents and others who have left their posts without authorization."

On the same day, Prime Minister Chung held an emergency countermeasure meeting on collective action by the medical community at the Government Seoul Office and said, "The government will respond quickly and firmly against collective actions to protect the lives and safety of the people."

Prime Minister Chung pointed out, "In large hospitals with urgent surgeries and many critical patients, medical services are being paralyzed," adding, "If we allow the medical vacuum to threaten the lives of the people, that would be tantamount to the government abandoning its role."

He continued, "Fortunately, the participation rate of private practitioners in the work stoppage is not high, but if it increases beyond a certain level, we will immediately issue work commencement orders to private practitioners as well," emphasizing, "We strongly urge doctors who have engaged in collective action to return to the medical field immediately."

Furthermore, he stated, "The government will strictly punish residents who refuse work commencement orders and the Medical Association that engages in unfair collective actions according to relevant laws," and urged, "Considering that COVID-19 is a crisis situation, please keep in mind that it is too urgent to wait patiently for their return to the field."

Prime Minister Chung criticized, "The government sincerely and earnestly negotiated with the two organizations to prevent collective actions that threaten the lives of the people, and even reached an agreement with the Medical Association. However, the Medical Association deferred the final decision to the Resident Association, and the Resident Association unilaterally discarded the agreement, showing an unreasonable behavior."

He then expressed, "I deeply regret the two organizations that have betrayed trust and taken the lives of the people hostage by fully engaging in collective action amid the severe COVID-19 crisis."

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