Patients wait to see doctors at a major hospital in Seoul, Friday. Yonhap

A heated debate has been sparked by the government's recent decision to allow doctors holding licenses issued in foreign nations to legally practice medicine here without passing required exams in case the country faces a serious public health care crisis.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare came up with the idea amid prolonged medical service disruptions, caused by the ongoing nationwide walkout by thousands of trainee doctors protesting the policy to increase the quota for medical students starting next year.

Supporters for the introduction of foreign medical license holders say it seems like an inevitable choice if the medical service disruptions, which began in February, continue.

However, objectors claim that it would be difficult to ensure qualifications of foreign license holders and that the issue of who is to blame could be raised in case of medical accidents.

On Wednesday, the health ministry announced the plan to revise the enforcement regulation of the Medical Act by May 20. Under the revision, those who have acquired doctors' licenses in other countries will be able to practice medicine in Korea upon approval by the health ministry when the country issues the highest national health crisis alert.

On Feb. 23, the ministry raised the alert level to the uppermost tier of "serious" in response to the walkout by trainee doctors, so the revision plan is interpreted as a preparation in case the current health care standoff is protracted further.

As to possible communication problems with foreign license holders, the revision is expected to apply mainly to Koreans who studied medicine overseas and acquired licenses there.

"I agree with the need to bring foreign medical license holders to this country as Korean doctors have refused to treat patients," an online commentator commented on the related news article.

Another commentator wrote, "Bringing in foreign doctors is natural in this competitive society. Korean doctors should accept the reality."

A medical anatomical skeleton is seen at a private education institute in Seoul's Gangnam District, Thursday, for students preparing to study medicine abroad. Yonhap

On the other hand, critics called the qualifications of foreign license holders into questions, as the revision would enable these people to skip the relatively complicated procedures they previously would have had to go through to legally practice medicine in Korea.

Under the current regulation, those who studied medicine overseas would have to pass a preliminary examination in Korea comprising written and performance tests. And then they would have to pass a state exam to finally be allowed to practice medicine here.

According to Rep. Shin Hyun-young of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, Friday, among 424 foreign medical school graduates who applied for all these procedures between 2005 and 2023, only 41.4 percent passed. The doctor-turned-lawmaker cited documents from the health ministry and the Korea Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute.

"Characteristics of diseases and responses to treatments vary between different races, sexes, regions and living habits. Even if one graduates from a medical school in a foreign nation, they should have to pass required exams again in Korea to practice medicine here," Shin said.

"Skipping these procedures to deploy foreign license holders immediately is a dangerous idea not only to patients but also to themselves when considering possible medical accidents."

Lim Hyun-taek, president of the Korean Medical Association, the largest doctors' coalition here, criticized the government for "ruining the country's medical system."

"Many have visited Korea to learn from our advanced medical skills. Nevertheless, the government is leaving behind Korean doctors in the standoff and moving to bring in low-quality medical professionals," he said.

In response to growing concerns, the health ministry said it will thoroughly verify qualifications of foreign license holders. It added the enforcement regulation revision, scheduled for later this month, does not mean they will be able to start practicing medicine immediately.

"The revision is a preemptive measure in preparation for a contingency," Second Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo during a press briefing. "We will establish a system to prevent unqualified physicians from treating patients in this country."