Health ministry officials enter an office of Chonnam National University Hospital in Gwangju, Monday, to conduct on-site investigations as part of procedures to suspend the licenses of around 7,000 striking trainee doctors nationwide who disobeyed the ministry's order to return to work. Yonhap

Patients could face more significant disruptions to medical services as the government and doctors continue to clash over the Yoon Suk Yeol administration's plan to increase medical school admissions quotas.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare initiated the process of suspending the licenses of approximately 7,000 interns and resident doctors on Monday, who defied the government's directive to resume work. The government's move follows a nationwide walkout by thousands of trainee doctors, which began on Feb. 19.

In addition, an increasing number of medical fellows, who undergo specialized training after completing a residency, are choosing not to renew their contracts. Typically, these contracts are renewed at the end of February or the beginning of March. The decision to leave hospitals stems from the overwhelming increase in workload, as these fellows have been filling the gap in medical services created by striking junior doctors.

At the five largest hospitals in Seoul, the ratios of trainee doctors and medical fellows stand at 37 percent and 16 percent, respectively. Together, they comprise more than 50 percent of the entire medical professionals at these institutions.

Recent graduates from various medical schools are also declining to begin their internships, typically scheduled to commence at the start of March, as part of their collective action against the government. This reluctance dashes hopes that the new interns could alleviate the shortage of medical services.

Doctors are protesting the government's decision to raise the enrollment quota at 40 medical schools nationwide by 2,000 from the current 3,058 starting next year. This proposal is aimed at addressing a shortage of doctors and improving public access to medical services. However, doctors argue that the current education and training systems in medical schools are ill-equipped to accommodate such an expansion.

Since the health ministry announced the policy on Feb. 6, it has stuck to the hard-line stance, threatening to take all available administrative and legal measures without exceptions against those who engage in what it said was an illegal collective action.

The warning, however, has done little to bring striking trainee doctors back to work, even after the ministry issued an ultimatum, imposing last Thursday as the deadline to return.

As of the deadline day, 8,945 trainee doctors, constituting 72 percent of all such physicians, had still vacated their worksites.

Medical professionals pass by a sign informing people of operating hours extended until 10 p.m. at Incheon Medical Center, Monday. The government has extended the operating hours of public hospitals in response to trainee doctors' walkout to protest a plan to hike the medical school admissions quota. Yonhap

Second Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo said the ministry had initiated procedures to suspend the licenses of approximately 7,000 trainee doctors out of the total 8,945 who had left their worksites.

“Those who defied the government's order to return to work will inevitably face license suspensions lasting at least three months,” Park said during a media briefing.

“Those who receive a three-month license suspension will be unable to fulfill the training period requirements. Consequently, this delay will postpone their qualification as medical specialists by more than a year.”

Park added, “License suspensions will also appear on their permanent records, which could count against them in their future job searches.”

Park emphasized that this punishment would be irreversible but will be implemented gradually, taking into account limitations in manpower to handle the matter and the potential medical chaos that could result.

Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong urged medical fellows to maintain their determination to treat patients and advised them not to alter their career paths, during a government meeting earlier in the day.

In response to the ongoing confrontations, the government launched four dedicated situation rooms for emergency medical services on Monday. These rooms aim to improve the supervision and management of transferring emergency or critical-care patients. This initiative comes at a time when the operations of emergency rooms at many hospitals have been severely affected by the ongoing doctor's strike.

Additionally, the government has allocated approximately 120 billion won ($90 million) in reserve funds. These funds are earmarked for compensating doctors who have continued their duties in hospitals, recruiting alternative medical professionals and extending the operating hours of public hospitals.

Meanwhile, the World Medical Association (WMA), the international organization representing physicians worldwide, issued statements on Friday and Sunday, expressing its unwavering support for the Korea Medical Association, the nation's largest coalition of doctors.

WMA noted that “the right to collective action is universal,” stating medical students and young doctors in Korea are peacefully practicing their rights within the boundaries of the law.

“I strongly urge the Korean government to reconsider its actions and cease the forceful measures imposed on the medical community,” WMA President Lujain Al-Qodmani said.

“The principles of justice, human rights and ethical health care demand a collaborative approach. A resolution should respect the rights of physicians and ensures the wellbeing of both medical professionals and the patients they serve.”