83.9% of Hospitals in Seoul Operating Normally... Administrative Sanctions Apply Below 30%

On the 18th, when the Korea Medical Association (KMA) forcibly carried out a collective strike, 16.1% of local clinics and hospitals in the Seoul area were closed.

On that day, the Seoul Metropolitan Government inspected 10,116 clinics and hospitals across 25 autonomous districts, and as of 4 p.m., the closure rate was 16.1%, with 83.9% operating normally regardless of the collective strike.

To respond to the collective strike, Seoul organized inspection teams consisting of 2,797 members in 1,396 groups across the 25 districts, and confirmed the closure status of medical institutions through phone checks in the morning and afternoon.

The results showed that the closure rate in all 25 districts was below 30%, and no district proceeded with on-site evidence collection or similar actions.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare's "Guidelines for Local Governments in Response to Collective Actions by Private Practitioners," if the closure rate by district exceeds 30% in violation of the order to resume work, administrative sanctions for violations of the Medical Service Act will be imposed.

Kim Tae-hee, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Citizen Health Bureau, stated, "Since the collective action of residents on February 20, we have been mobilizing all public medical resources, including municipal hospitals, extended hours at public health centers, and emergency room maintenance, to minimize medical service gaps," adding, "Seoul will do its best to ensure that citizens do not experience inconvenience until the situation with the medical community's collective strike is resolved."

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