Spreading Collective Actions of Doctors and Medical Students... Resignation Letters and Alliance Leave of Absence Continue (Comprehensive)

8,816 Residents Submit Resignation Letters
8,753 Medical Students Apply for Leave of Absence

Collective actions by doctors and medical students opposing the government's plan to increase medical school quotas are intensifying. While about 8,800 residents nationwide have submitted their resignation letters, medical students across the country have also entered a strike, with 8,753 students applying for leave of absence as of this day.

The Ministry of Education announced on the 21st that as of 6 p.m. on the 20th, 7,620 medical students from 27 out of 40 medical schools nationwide submitted leave of absence applications within one day. Including the 1,133 students who applied for leave the previous day, a total of 8,753 students have applied for leave over two days. According to the 2023 Education Statistics, there are a total of 18,820 enrolled medical students, of which about 46.5% have taken leave.

On the 20th, medical staff are moving at a large hospital in Seoul, where residents have begun submitting resignation letters at training hospitals nationwide, including the 'Big 5' hospitals, signaling the start of a wave of hospital departures. Photo by Jo Yongjun jun21@

It was identified that three medical schools engaged in collective actions such as class refusal the previous day. Among them, six medical schools approved 30 leave applications, which were based on procedures in accordance with school regulations such as military leave and leave due to failing or not completing courses; the Ministry of Education explained that no approval was given for 'strike leave.'

Meanwhile, as of 10 p.m. on the 20th, the Ministry of Health and Welfare stated that none of the resignation letters submitted by 8,816 residents at 100 major training hospitals have been accepted. The number of residents who have left their workplaces by this day rose sharply to 7,813 from 1,630 on the 19th. During on-site inspections, the Ministry issued work commencement orders to 5,397 residents who were confirmed to have left their workplaces, excluding 715 residents who had already received such orders out of 6,112 residents identified.

Park Min-su, the 2nd Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, held a briefing at the Government Complex Sejong on the 21st titled ‘Central Accident Response Headquarters for Doctors’ Collective Action’ and said, "On the 20th, the Korean Medical Association Emergency Committee stated that issuing work commencement orders to residents who submitted resignation letters infringes on the constitutional freedom to choose one’s occupation," adding, "Is it truly a constitutional fundamental right to collectively resign all at once, endangering patients’ lives and not even giving hospitals time to prepare?" He further expressed concern and regret over the medical association’s stance that places their rights above patients’ lives.

The Ministry of Education instructed all medical schools nationwide to "carefully review leave applications from students according to laws and principles and strictly manage collective actions such as class refusal in accordance with school regulations." Some medical schools are reportedly responding to the students’ collective leave by postponing classes scheduled to begin after the new semester starts next month. Reported by Oh Ju-yeon and Kim Young-won

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