"Refusing to Visit Striking Hospitals" Angry Citizens Launch Hospital Boycott Movement

Residents Continue Indefinite Strike
Patient Groups Urge Doctors to Stop Collective Actions Threatening Patient Lives
Civilians Complain of Inconvenience... Hospital Boycott Movements Emerge
Government Calls Residents' Collective Leave Unjust, Demanding Patient Sacrifice

Photo by Strike Hospital Boycott Related Logo Capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] Public dissatisfaction is growing against residents who have launched an indefinite strike, refusing to provide medical services while demanding the government abandon its medical policies such as expanding medical school quotas. An online site sharing the locations and names of hospitals participating in the strike has even emerged. This is effectively a boycott movement against hospitals joining the strike. The government has called the medical strike an illegal act and urged a return to work.

According to the Korean Intern Resident Association (KIRA) on the 30th, residents have decided to continue their collective action, including the indefinite strike that began on the 21st, following the Emergency Response Committee's guidelines. Accordingly, a reduction in medical services is expected to intensify at medical sites.

First, the Department of Internal Medicine at Seoul National University Hospital officially announced it will reduce outpatient services for one week starting from the 31st. It is also known that the Department of Internal Medicine at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital is discussing reducing medical services.

Since the 21st, residents have participated in the strike in stages. As a result, major university hospitals have been adjusting outpatient services, such as not accepting new patients due to staff shortages, to cope with the situation. Seoul National University Hospital has been responding by performing surgeries at only about 'half' the usual level.

Meanwhile, with KIRA deciding to continue collective action, the medical service gap is expected to deepen further.

Residents are reportedly planning to submit resignation letters starting this morning (31st) on a voluntary basis. Some full-time fellows at certain hospitals are also joining. At Daegu Roh Hospital, 43 out of 60 full-time fellows have submitted resignation letters.

On the 30th, the Emergency Response Committee of the Korean Intern Resident Association decided to continue the collective strike, and information about the medical staff strike is being provided in front of the emergency room at Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Given the situation, criticism is mounting. The Korea Patient Organization Federation has repeatedly urged striking doctors to return to medical sites, emphasizing that protecting patients' health and lives is doctors' foremost duty.

The patient organization stated, "Doctors should stop collective actions that threaten patients' health and lives and promptly return to treatment sites, and the government should go through a social consensus process regarding policies such as expanding the number of doctors and establishing public medical schools."

Amid growing inconvenience to citizens caused by the doctors' strike, an online site titled 'I Won't Go to Striking Hospitals' has appeared. The site posts information on hospitals participating in the strike and messages supporting the boycott.

Inspired by the 'NO Japan' mark used in past anti-Japan boycott campaigns, logos such as 'Boycott Striking Hospital' and 'I Won't Go to Striking Hospitals' are also being shared online.

The site creator explained the purpose of the site, saying, "The Korean Intern Resident Association, which opposes government policies and threatens while only caring about their income and job security over patients' lives! We must never tolerate irresponsible and selfish doctors who refuse to provide medical services, holding desperate patients hostage."

They added, "Please report hospitals that are illegally striking and violating Article 59, Paragraph 1 of the Medical Service Act, which mandates medical treatment, thereby depriving citizens of their right to receive care, on the bulletin board below."

On the 30th, a doctor is holding a solo protest at Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul, urging opposition to the government's medical policy, as the Emergency Committee of the Korean Intern Resident Association decided to continue the collective strike. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Meanwhile, the government called the strike "an unjust act demanding patients' sacrifice" and requested an immediate return to medical sites.

Son Young-rae, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Welfare, criticized on the 30th, "The withdrawal of the demand to increase the number of doctors, which residents claim on grounds of principle, is a medical system issue unrelated to patients, so there is no reason for patients to suffer unfairly."

He emphasized, "The extreme method of refusing treatment even in emergency rooms and intensive care units inevitably causes casualties among critically ill patients, thus threatening social safety with irresponsible behavior."

He added, "We will first proceed with legal measures against medical staff who strike in emergency rooms and intensive care units, which are directly linked to life. The indefinite collective strike is an unjust and illegal act that crosses the reasonable limits our society can accept," reiterating criticism.

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