Yoon on Doctors' Collective Action: "Thorough Response to Protect People's Lives"

President Yoon Suk-yeol on the 19th instructed to "make thorough efforts in responding to protect the lives and health of the people" in relation to the collective action announced by doctors, including residents.

President Yoon made this remark during a regular meeting with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the same day, regarding the collective action such as the submission of resignation letters by doctors opposing the increase in medical school quotas, according to spokesperson Kim Soo-kyung in a written briefing.

President Yoon also instructed to "promptly push forward" the issues discussed at the public livelihood forum.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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On the 1st of this month, President Yoon held the 8th public livelihood forum under the theme "Medical Reform to Save Lives and Regions," stating, "Now is the golden time to promote medical reform. If medical reform desired by the majority of the people retreats due to some opposition or resistance, it would betray the essential role of the nation," and announced a four-policy package for medical reform.

The four-policy package for medical reform includes a 10 trillion won investment in essential medical fields, reform of non-covered medical expenses and indemnity insurance systems, expansion of medical personnel for regional and essential medical care, and reduction of legal risks for medical personnel.

Residents from major hospitals nationwide, including the so-called 'Big 5' (Seoul National University, Severance, Samsung Seoul, Seoul Asan, Seoul St. Mary's), opposed the expansion of medical school quotas by 2,000 and submitted resignation letters on the day, announcing they would leave clinical practice starting from the 20th.

In response, Prime Minister Han, at the 'Ministerial Meeting on Response to Doctors' Collective Action' held at the Government Seoul Office, decided to activate an emergency medical system in preparation for a possible medical service gap. First, emergency rooms at 409 emergency medical institutions nationwide will operate 24 hours, prioritizing emergency and critical surgeries.

Additionally, weekday consultation hours at 97 public hospitals will be extended, and emergency medical systems at public medical institutions will also operate on weekends and holidays. In particular, to ensure that chronic and mild patients do not face difficulties in accessing medical institutions, telemedicine will be fully permitted during the collective action period.

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