'Resignation Letter and Work Commencement Order' Government Increases Pressure... Residents Express "Regret"

Ministry of Health Orders Individual Work Resumption for 358 People... Daejeon Association "Will Continue Strike"

On the 27th, in front of Bonghwasan Station in Seoul, the Seoul Medical Center Resident Council is urging the complete withdrawal of the four major harmful medical policies. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jung] On the second day of the second nationwide doctors' strike on the 27th, as residents continued to submit their resignation letters, the government increased pressure by stating that resignation letters are also subject to work commencement orders. The residents expressed regret over the government's pressure but maintained a firm stance on their indefinite strike.

Seo Jae-hyun, spokesperson for the Korean Intern Resident Association (KIRA), said in a phone interview with Asia Economy, "Residents have clearly opposed the government's four major medical policies, including the expansion of medical school quotas and the establishment of public medical schools," adding, "The government's intention to issue work commencement orders in response to residents voluntarily submitting resignation letters due to frustration over the government ignoring the medical community's opinions is a form of intimidation that completely disregards the residents' position, which is deeply regrettable."

◆Residents Continue Submitting Resignation Letters= KIRA has been conducting the '5th Young Doctors Collective Action,' allowing those who wish to submit resignation letters since 10 a.m. on the 27th. Residents, who have been on an indefinite strike since the 21st opposing the expansion of medical school quotas and the establishment of public medical schools, continued their strike by submitting resignation letters on the second day of the strike. All residents in the Emergency Medicine Department at Severance Hospital submitted resignation letters, and Seoul Asan Hospital received about 10 resignation letters out of approximately 300 residents.

In response, Kim Hyun-sook, Director of Medical Resource Policy at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, stated, "According to precedent, submitting resignation letters is also considered a form of collective action," adding, "In such cases, work commencement orders can be issued, and if not complied with, corresponding measures will be taken equally." This indicates the government's possibility of issuing work commencement orders for collective actions involving resignation letter submissions, following the issuance of such orders to residents and fellows in the metropolitan area who began an indefinite collective sickout the previous day.

As the government increases pressure on residents, who are the core of the strike, a strong confrontation between the medical community and the government continues. On the same day, the government also issued individual work commencement orders to 358 personnel in emergency rooms and intensive care units at 20 hospitals in the metropolitan area. Since many residents who went on strike the previous day turned off their phones and were unreachable, the government is delivering the orders by handing receipt confirmations and acknowledgment forms to hospital officials to be forwarded to the strikers.

◆Work Commencement Orders Issued Again Over Resignation Letters... Strong Confrontation= On the first day of the strike, the 26th, KIRA implemented a 'Blackout' action guideline from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., during which all reachable mobile devices were turned off and contact with the outside was minimized. KIRA explained this as a measure to block all false reports and misinformation from outside and to strengthen internal solidarity, but some interpret it as a tactic to avoid work commencement orders.

Failure to comply with work commencement orders can result in imprisonment of up to three years or fines up to 30 million won, as well as administrative sanctions such as license suspension or revocation.

Spokesperson Seo reiterated the determination to fight, saying, "The government's work commencement orders for 358 personnel in emergency rooms and intensive care units at 20 metropolitan hospitals are unjust," and "If even one person faces administrative punishment, we will continue collective action indefinitely."

A hospital official said, "The residents' submission of resignation letters was likely intended to avoid work commencement orders," adding, "The government's strong move to issue work commencement orders again against the residents' collective action seems to deepen the rift between both sides."

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