Government to Use Forced Investigation Against Medical Sector Collective Action... Plans to Prosecute Residents Refusing to Return

The government has announced its policy to conduct detention investigations against organizations or individuals leading collective actions by the medical community opposing the expansion of medical school admissions.

On the 21st, amid growing concerns over a medical crisis due to the collective resignation of residents, Park Seong-jae, Minister of Justice, is making remarks related to the medical community's collective action at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The joint briefing was attended by Lee Sang-min, Minister of the Interior and Safety, Yoon Hee-geun, Commissioner of the National Police Agency, and Shin Ja-yong, Deputy Prosecutor General. Photo by Jo Yong-jun jun21@

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On the 21st, the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Supreme Prosecutors' Office, and National Police Agency held a countermeasure meeting regarding the medical community's collective actions and expressed their stance to strictly punish such actions.

Lee Sang-min, Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, stated, "In response to the decision to increase medical school admissions, residents have collectively resigned and abandoned medical sites, causing a medical vacuum," adding, "If necessary, we will promptly investigate using compulsory investigation methods according to the law, such as issuing arrest warrants."

First, the government plans to actively utilize compulsory investigation methods under the law to conduct swift investigations. They intend to thoroughly identify not only medical personnel involved in illegal collective actions but also those who manipulate or instigate such actions behind the scenes.

Furthermore, those leading illegal collective actions who do not return to medical sites despite orders to resume work will be subject to detention investigations as a principle, and acts that obstruct normal medical treatment or return to duty will also be strictly punished.

Individual residents refusing to return to work will, in principle, be formally prosecuted and brought to trial. However, if they temporarily participated in illegal collective actions but return to the field early, the circumstances will be sufficiently considered in handling the case. If actual damage to patients' lives and health occurs due to illegal collective actions, the highest level of responsibility will be imposed.

Park Sung-jae, Minister of Justice, said, "We will mobilize all investigative capabilities to hold the leaders of collective actions strictly accountable," and added, "We will also hold medical institution operators legally responsible if they fail to fulfill their duty to prevent collective actions."

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