KMA Threatens Total Strike if Licenses of Doctors Involved in Violent Crimes Are Revoked

Welfare Committee Passes Medical Law Amendment Bill, "Unacceptable" Stance Expressed

The Korea Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute in Gwangjin-gu, where the medical practical exam was held on the 23rd of last month.

The Korean Medical Association (KMA) has declared it will not hesitate to launch a total strike if a bill to revoke the licenses of doctors convicted of violent crimes such as robbery, murder, and sexual assault passes the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee.

On the 20th, the presidents of 16 city and provincial medical associations nationwide issued a statement expressing "unbearable anger" over the Medical Service Act amendment, which would revoke the licenses of doctors sentenced to imprisonment or higher for any crime, including traffic accidents, and declared that they "absolutely cannot accept it."

They warned, "If this bill is approved by the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, we will launch a full-scale struggle including a nationwide doctors' strike," and emphasized, "This will cause significant obstacles to COVID-19 response efforts."

Also on the same day, six candidates for the 41st KMA presidential election released a statement saying, "Doctor licenses can be managed through self-discipline rather than amendments to the Medical Service Act," and added, "Indiscriminate disciplinary actions will create innocent victims in medical practice, and ultimately the damage will be borne by the public, so we absolutely cannot accept this."

The day before, the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee approved an amendment to the Medical Service Act that allows revocation of licenses for doctors sentenced to imprisonment or higher for violent crimes such as murder, robbery, and sexual assault.

However, if a doctor is sentenced to imprisonment or higher for professional negligence causing death or injury during medical practice, their license will not be subject to revocation. This reflects the unique nature of doctors' work, which involves public health and life.

This measure is known to have been prepared to ensure fairness with other professional fields. Currently, other professionals such as lawyers, certified public accountants, and judicial scriveners also have their licenses revoked if sentenced to imprisonment or higher. Members of the National Assembly also lose their seats if sentenced to imprisonment or higher.

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