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Commentary: South Korea’s doctors’ strike is a medical farce without heroes

Broadcast United News Desk
Commentary: South Korea’s doctors’ strike is a medical farce without heroes

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Seoul: It is shocking to see doctors on strike. After all, these professionals are charged with caring for the rest of society. Including treating the sick and woundedYet in South Korea, this surprising development is precisely what is happening.

Since February, More than 12,000 doctors Medical staff from more than 100 hospitals went on strike in protest Government policy to increase enrollment in medical schools. Medical students, interns, and residents are First to strikeSenior doctors and medical professors then joined in the support.

This is only a small portion of the estimate 140,000 doctors In South Korea, however, the strike has led to the cancellation of hundreds of surgeries and other treatments.

The reason for this is that Korea’s healthcare industry – Troubled by issues of pay and working conditions – Reform is needed, but earlier attempts at compromise and incremental change have failed.

South Korea’s medical school enrollment has been capped at 3,058 students per year since 2016. In 2020, the Moon Jae-in government proposed a modest increase of 400 places per year to address a shortage of doctors. Doctors strongly opposed the proposal and went on strike, fearing they would have to share more of the medical industry’s revenue.

Their actions were launched against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the urgent need for medical treatment, the government capitulated. Doctors “won” and returned to work after a month of strike and hinders the increase in the supply of doctors.

This time, President Yoon Seok-yeol’s government initially proposed increasing the number of medical school admissions by 2,000 per year. Once again, doctors responded with anger and indignation. This reaction was not surprising. If they refused to add 400 in 2020, they would surely refuse to add 2,000.

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