Prime Minister Han Visits Police Hospital... Encourages Medical Staff Caring for Remaining Patients

"Police Hospital Must Be a Reliable Support"
"Request for Emergency Measures Including Weekend and Holiday Work"

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is visiting patients at the National Police Hospital in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 21st.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

In response to the expansion of medical school quotas, which led to a mass resignation of residents, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo visited the National Police Hospital in Songpa-gu, Seoul on the afternoon of the 21st to encourage the remaining doctors and nurses at the hospital.

On that day, Prime Minister Han received a report on the emergency medical response situation from Kim Jin-hak, director of the Police Hospital, and inspected the site.

After encouraging the doctors, nurses, and staff who are protecting the hospital amid collective action by the medical community, he visited the inpatient ward to comfort police patients who were injured while on duty.

This visit to the Police Hospital was the second on-site inspection following the activation of the government’s emergency medical response system at the inter-ministerial meeting chaired by the Prime Minister on the 19th, after the National Medical Center.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, as of 10 p.m. the previous day, 8,816 residents, accounting for 71.2% of residents at 100 major training hospitals, had submitted their resignation letters.

The government explained, "Starting yesterday, residents’ collective action has intensified, causing surgeries to be postponed and medical appointments to be canceled, resulting in real inconvenience to the public. It is a situation where all government capabilities must be mobilized to minimize harm to the people."

Prime Minister Han urged, "The Police Hospital is the only public medical institution in the southeastern region of Seoul, and if this collective action prolongs, it must become a reliable pillar that local residents can trust and rely on."

He continued, "Although it will be difficult, I hope emergency measures such as extended weekday clinic hours, weekend and holiday shifts, and 24-hour emergency room operation will be properly implemented to protect the health of local residents."

Prime Minister Han added, "The government will also actively support by preparing various support measures, including fee increases, to maintain essential medical functions through flexible personnel management at each hospital."

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