The Democratic Party Faces Flood of Criticism Over 'Medical Sector General Strike': "Malignant Virus Trio," "Throwing a Tantrum"

KMA to Hold Total Strike for Three Days Starting 26th
"Immediately Stop Refusing Illegal Medical Treatment"
Government Issues Work Commencement Order to Residents and Fellows in the Capital Area

On the afternoon of the 26th, the first day of the second nationwide doctors' strike, specialists continued their picket protest at Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] As the Korean Medical Association (KMA) has launched a collective strike in opposition to the government's medical policies, including the expansion of medical school quotas, members of the Democratic Party strongly criticized the medical community on the 27th.

Democratic Party lawmaker Hong Ik-pyo appeared on KBS Radio's 'Kim Kyung-rae's Strongest Current Affairs' on the same day and said, "The medical community agreed to put things on hold until the government and the COVID-19 situation stabilize, but then they started refusing treatment, which cannot gain public support," adding, "Demanding the complete withdrawal of policy implementation is just the obstinacy of an interest group."

Hong said, "The collective strike by medical staff is very regrettable," and added, "Regardless of the reason, this is a very dangerous time with the spread of COVID-19, and engaging in collective refusal such as strikes or business closures at such a time is inappropriate."

He continued, "The issue of establishing public medical schools and increasing medical school quotas has already been discussed since the 20th National Assembly but did not go well. Suddenly demanding 'withdraw everything, oppose it' now is unreasonable," raising his voice.

No Woong-rae, a Democratic Party lawmaker running for the party's Supreme Council, also criticized the striking medical staff in a post titled "'Not a Doctors' Strike' but 'Illegal Refusal of Medical Treatment'" on his Facebook page.

No said, "The KMA itself calls this a 'strike' and packages it as a legitimate labor right, but this is clearly an 'illegal refusal of medical treatment,'" adding, "Refusing treatment illegally while holding the public hostage during a severe infectious disease emergency is no different from exploiting a national disaster to protect their own interests."

He urged the medical staff, "Immediately stop the illegal refusal of medical treatment and return to the field at once. Now is not the time for this," and said, "We should discuss this again from the beginning after the disaster ends. That is the proper order."

On the afternoon of the 26th, the first day of the second nationwide doctors' strike, medical staff are holding a picket protest behind the gowns they took off at Ajou University Hospital in Suwon, Gyeonggi-do.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Another candidate for the party's Supreme Council, Democratic Party lawmaker So Byung-hoon, also joined the chorus of criticism. So said on his Facebook page that day, "I do not even want to discuss the justification of the medical community's 'strike' itself or the term 'refusal of medical treatment.' Nor do I want to discuss whether the KMA truly represents all doctors."

He said, "This is truly an emergency situation, like a wartime scenario," adding, "Even during war, a truce is made on humanitarian grounds." He continued, "I heard that Libya is temporarily halting its years-long civil war due to COVID-19," and pointed out, "There is a saying 'sijung' (時中), meaning to act correctly at the right time and place."

Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Kyung-hyup even described the striking medical staff as a 'virus.' On his Facebook page that day, he criticized, "Doctors who are not interested in quarantine but are focused on protecting vested interests are a virus," calling them "one of the three malignant viruses in the country along with far-right religious viruses and reactionary political viruses."

Meanwhile, as the KMA launched a general strike for three days starting on the 26th, the government announced it would take legal action against such collective behavior by the medical community.

Park Neung-hoo, Minister of Health and Welfare, said at an emergency briefing on the morning of the 26th, "We have no choice but to take necessary legal measures such as issuing work commencement orders to prevent risks to the lives and safety of the public," and added, "The government will issue work commencement orders starting at 8 a.m. on August 26 to residents and fellows working at training hospitals located in the metropolitan area."

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