Military Hospital Launches Nationwide Medical Service... Prime Minister Han: "Public Medical Institutions Provide Great Comfort to the People"

Prolonged Collective Action by Resident-Centered Doctors
24-Hour Operation of Emergency Room at Gukgun Sudo Hospital, Reinforcement of Nursing Staff

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo visited the Armed Forces Capital Hospital located in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province on the 25th to inspect the emergency medical situation at public medical institutions amid growing concerns over medical service gaps caused by collective actions of doctors, mainly residents.

In response to the medical community's collective actions opposing the expansion of medical school quotas, the Armed Forces Capital Hospital has been operating its emergency room 24 hours a day to support public medical services. Additionally, it plans to expand intensive care unit beds for civilian critical patients and reinforce specialized nursing staff.

At the Armed Forces Capital Hospital, Prime Minister Han encouraged the staff, saying, "If this doctors' collective action prolongs, the damage will ultimately be borne by the public, but I believe the proactive emergency response measures of the military hospital will alleviate the public's anxiety."

He continued, "Although the situation is becoming difficult due to the accumulating medical service gaps, public medical institutions including military hospitals are playing significant roles, providing great comfort to the public. Please hang in there a little longer."

Prime Minister Han also comforted the family of a patient who, unable to receive emergency surgery at a large hospital due to the residents' collective action, came to the Armed Forces Capital Hospital and is currently safely undergoing surgery and hospitalization.

Since announcing the activation of the government's emergency medical response system at the ministerial meeting on the 19th, Prime Minister Han has conducted three on-site inspections, including visits to the National Medical Center (on the 19th), the National Police Hospital (on the 21st), and the Armed Forces Capital Hospital on this day.