Collective Strike: 77.8% of Residents Absent... 30% of Full-time Faculty Absent

Residents opposing the government's expansion of medical school quotas held a 24-hour silent picket protest at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic Central Medical Center in Seoul on the 23rd of last month. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] On the 12th day since residents began a collective strike in protest against the expansion of medical school quotas, the strike rate among residents was recorded at 77.8% on the 1st.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare checked the work status of 164 out of 200 resident training institutions nationwide and found that out of 9,032 residents, 7,023 were not working. The strike rate was 77.8%, slightly lower than the previous day's 83.9%. The strike rate among fellows, who are continuing the strike alongside residents, was recorded at 30.0%. It was found that 663 out of 2,209 fellows were not working, showing a slight decrease from the previous day's 32.6% strike rate.

Residents began an indefinite collective strike on the 21st of last month, demanding the abolition of policies such as the expansion of medical school quotas. Fellows have since joined the strike. Currently, the government has issued work commencement orders to residents working at training hospitals nationwide. The government’s position is that residents should return to work since the policy to expand medical school quotas has already been halted. On the other hand, residents are countering that they will return only if the government formally commits to re-discussing the policy from scratch.

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