Despite End of General Strike, 'Medical Gap' Persists... "Worried Surgery Might Be Canceled in Three Days"

Individual Hospital Unions Unable to Find Common Ground Maintain Strike

The nationwide strike organized by the Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union (KHMU) on the 13th and 14th has ended, but the 'medical gap' continues. Individual hospitals have yet to find common ground on issues such as wages and employment, and some are still continuing the strike.

Quiet Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital [Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the medical community on the 17th, among more than 20 tertiary general hospitals nationwide that participated in the KHMU strike, at least nine hospitals failed to conclude negotiations between the union and management over the weekend. The unions, composed of nurses and medical technicians, have stated their policy to "continue the strike until labor-management negotiations are finalized."

In the Seoul metropolitan area, Korea University Medical Center is the only tertiary general hospital continuing the strike. Due to the union's failure to reach a compromise with management over wages and other issues during the weekend, Korea University Hospitals (Anam, Guro, Ansan) experienced disruptions in outpatient care on this day as well. In the Gyeonggi region, Ajou University Medical Center, Hallym University Medical Center (Pyeongchon, Dongtan, Gangnam, Hangang), and the National Traffic Rehabilitation Hospital are continuing the strike. Particularly, as the medical gap in provincial areas worsens day by day, many hospitals there are maintaining the strike. In the Gyeongsang region, Busan National University Hospital (Busan, Yangsan) is a representative example; in the Jeolla region, Suncheon St. Carollo Hospital, Gwangju Municipal Nursing Psychiatric Hospital, and Chosun University Hospital; and in the Gangwon region, Yeongwol Medical Center are notable. Because the differences between individual hospital unions and management are generally significant, unless either side takes a step back, these hospitals may face difficulties in patient care and admissions throughout this week.

Patients at striking hospitals are deeply worried. A, who is scheduled for thyroid surgery this week at Busan National University Hospital, said, "I have not yet been contacted by the hospital to cancel, but naturally, I cannot help but worry until the day before the surgery." He added, "Because scheduling with medical staff is very tight, if the surgery is canceled, it may be difficult to set a new surgery date." B, who visited the emergency room at Yangsan Busan National University Hospital on the 16th due to a suspected facial fracture from a fall, said, "I was informed that I could not receive treatment in the relevant department due to the (union) strike," and added, "I had no choice but to make an appointment for trauma center treatment at a local clinic the next day (17th) afternoon."

The Ministry of Health and Welfare anticipated that the KHMU strike would pose a significant risk to public health but did not issue an order to resume work. However, there are calls to issue a work resumption order if the hospital strike prolongs and the medical gap worsens, especially in provincial areas.

Most hospitals have ended the strike and resumed outpatient care from this day after the weekend, but confusion on the ground is inevitable. There is a possibility of longer waiting times as canceled surgeries during the strike period are rescheduled and accumulated medical treatments continue. Park (42), who was scheduled for thyroidectomy at a tertiary general hospital in Seoul on the 13th, had prepared for surgery, including taking leave from work, but was suddenly notified of cancellation the night before due to the strike. Park lamented, "The hospital said they would prioritize surgery patients and coordinate the schedule, but I still do not know the exact surgery date."

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