Doctors Rally Against Steep Increase
Hundreds of doctors in South Korea took to the streets on Thursday to protest the government’s plan to boost the number of medical students. Doctors’ groups argue that the proposed increase of 2,000 students by 2025 is too drastic. Instead, they are urging officials to focus on raising medical fees, which they believe are currently set too low.
Addressing the Doctor Shortage
Authorities argue that South Korea is in dire need of more doctors. Despite the growing demand for medical services driven by an aging population, the country has one of the lowest numbers of doctors relative to its population among developed nations. Critical professions such as obstetrics and pediatrics, as well as rural regions outside the capital area, have been grappling with doctor shortages.
Resistance to Increasing Medical Students
Since 2006, South Korea’s quota of medical students has remained at 3,058. Doctors have successfully resisted previous attempts by the government to raise this number, even amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. While doctors’ groups have threatened strikes, the Health Ministry downplayed the possibility of major walkouts that could disrupt medical services.
Doctors Take to the Streets
Despite concerns about potential strikes, hundreds of doctors marched in the rain in front of Seoul’s presidential office, holding banners and signs that read “We oppose with our lives an increase in medical students without consent of the medical sector.” Similar protests occurred across the country. Joo Sooho, former president of the Korea Medical Association, emphasized the need for a legal safety net and increased medical fees for doctors in critical sectors.
Government’s Response
The government plans to meet with doctors’ groups to address their concerns; however, it has no intentions of adjusting the scale and timing of the proposed increase in medical students, according to Second Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo. In an editorial, the Korea JoongAng Daily newspaper stated that a strike by doctors would attract little public support.
Contributor: Associated Press writer Kim Tong-hyung