"Doctor Resignation Neglect, Blame Shifting"..Union Opposes Voluntary Retirement at Asan Hospital

Seoul Asan Medical Center received voluntary retirement applications from general staff excluding doctors, prompting union members to criticize, saying, "We firmly reject the pain-sharing approach that neglects doctors' resignations and shifts responsibility solely onto workers without consultation."

On the 9th, the Seoul Asan Medical Center branch of the Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union (KHMU) issued a statement saying, "We will refuse an emergency operation system that excludes hospital workers, and the hospital should not overlook the collective resignation submissions by non-returning residents and some medical school professors but take responsible measures."

Seoul Asan Medical Center is accepting voluntary retirement applications until the 19th of this month from general staff aged 50 or older with over 20 years of service as of the end of this year. Among the 'Big 5' hospitals, this is the first time voluntary retirement applications are being accepted due to the current medical service gap crisis, excluding doctors from eligibility.

The union stated, "From the start of the doctors' collective action, the hospital excluded workers and unilaterally notified all cost-cutting measures introduced solely by some executives," demanding, "Discuss the emergency operation system measures with the labor union in advance."

They added, "There are concerns among workers that the emergency management measures initiated by this voluntary retirement may expand to include recommended resignations," criticizing, "Hospital workers have made concessions despite unilateral policy implementations, but they cannot accept any further sacrifices."

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