Welfare Ministry "Resumption of Prosecution Against Resident Doctors' Collective Strike" Government Takes Tougher Stance (Update)

Complaint Deferred the Previous Day, Refiled for Action

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] On the third day of the doctors' general strike on the 28th, the government decided to file charges again against residents who have launched an indefinite collective sickout in protest of the expansion of medical school quotas.

After Health and Welfare Minister Park Neung-hoo held a meeting with major university hospital directors such as Kim Yeon-su of Seoul National University Hospital and Yoon Dong-seop of Yonsei University Medical Center the previous day and decided to "withhold prosecution," there was a possibility of residents returning to work. However, the government resumed prosecution on the morning of the 28th, shifting to a hardline stance, continuing the standoff between the medical community and the government.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare sent a text message titled "Notice of Schedule for Prosecution of Residents Violating Work Commencement Orders" to the press corps around 9 a.m. on the 28th, announcing plans to submit a complaint to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency at 10:30 a.m. that day.

The government ordered residents and fellows participating in the strike to return to medical duties only in the metropolitan area the previous day. Immediately after issuing the order, the ministry visited emergency rooms and intensive care units of 20 major hospitals to check the list of those on sickout and individually issued work commencement orders to 358 residents and others.

At around 2:30 p.m. the previous day, the ministry visited a training hospital in Seoul to publicly inspect whether residents were complying with the work commencement orders, but suddenly announced the cancellation of this schedule at around 5:18 p.m. A ministry official said, "While listening to opinions from senior medical professionals through various channels such as the meeting between Minister Park and hospital directors, the schedule for submitting complaints against residents violating the work commencement orders will be announced later," showing a somewhat conciliatory attitude.

However, on the morning of the 28th, the ministry resumed prosecution against residents on collective sickout, shifting to a hardline approach. A ministry official said, "We plan to submit complaints against residents violating the work commencement orders to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency at 10:30 a.m. today."

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