It's Been 7 Days Of Strike, South Korean Internship Doctors Are Asked To Return To Work This Thursday

Photo illustration (Irfan Meidianto/VOI)

JAKARTA - The South Korean government said it would not hold interns accountable if they returned to work on Thursday this week after a seven-day strike. The strike movement that has been carried out is a protest against plans to increase the quota of medical schools set by the South Korean government. Interior Minister Lee Sang - min made the statement during a government meeting because the ongoing collective action by an intern had cut operations at a large public hospital in Seoul by up to 50 percent of capacity and had caused patient discomfort. Thousands of interns and residents have moved away from their training hospital since last Tuesday in protest against plans to increase the number of medical school seats by 2,000 starting next year from 3,058 today to address the shortage of doctors. "Facing the seriousness of the current situation, I ask that for the last time the government will not hold you accountable for previous actions if you return to the hospital on Thursday," Lee said as quoted by Yonhap, Monday, February 26. The interior minister stressed that the collective action exacerbated chaos in hospitals, while threats to the lives and health of patients were'realized'. "I want you to remember that your voice is louder and more effective when you stay by the patient's side," Lee said, speaking to the training participants' doctors.

"The hospital you left was filled with fear and anxiety. I hope you will return to the workplace that you have worked hard to protect day and are involved in dialogue to improve medical services," he added.