Ministry of Health and Welfare: "All 221 Training Hospitals Prohibited from Group Leave Use, Mandatory Order to Maintain Essential Medical Services"

"154 Resignation Letters from 7 Hospitals, None Accepted"

On the 16th, the Ministry of Health and Welfare issued a 'ban on collective leave usage and an order to maintain essential medical services' to all 221 training hospitals in response to the medical community's collective action opposing the increase in medical school admissions, announcing a tough stance.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Park Min-su, the Ministry's 2nd Vice Minister, stated at a briefing held after the Central Accident Response Headquarters (CARH) meeting that day, "We will respond strictly to illegal collective actions."

As of that morning, the Ministry reported that 154 residents from seven hospitals nationwide had submitted their resignation letters.

The hospitals where resignation letters were submitted include: ▲ 7 residents at Wonkwang University Hospital ▲ 17 residents and 4 interns at Gachon University Gil Medical Center ▲ 16 residents and 3 interns at Korea University Guro Hospital ▲ 13 residents and all 23 interns at Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital ▲ 7 residents at Chosun University Hospital ▲ 6 residents at Police Hospital ▲ and all 58 interns at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital.

The Ministry confirmed that none of the resignation letters have been accepted.

The Ministry plans to prohibit the use of collective leave and issue orders to maintain essential medical services to all training hospitals, and will conduct on-site inspections at hospitals where staff did not report to work that day. Residents who refuse to provide medical services during the on-site inspections will receive individual 'work commencement orders,' and legal actions will be taken if these orders are violated.

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