Health Minister Asks Hospitals to Accept Resignations of Junior DoctorsHealth Minister Asks Hospitals to Accept Resignations of Junior Doctors Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong has requested hospitals to promptly accept the resignations of junior doctors who have resigned in protest against medical reforms. This move is seen as an attempt to appease the protesting doctors. Since late February, approximately 12,000 trainee doctors have quit their jobs due to concerns over the increase in the number of medical students. The government had previously ordered hospitals to decline the resignations to prevent the doctors from finding employment elsewhere. Minister Cho instructed teaching hospitals to strive to persuade trainee doctors to return to work by the end of the month. However, he also stated that hospitals should accept the resignations of those who are unable to return, allowing them to seek work at other hospitals. Cho expressed appreciation for the recent efforts by the medical community to establish a committee under the Korea Medical Association that would facilitate discussions with the government. He emphasized the government’s willingness to engage in dialogue. The Korea Medical Association (KMA) has postponed an indefinite strike that was originally scheduled for Thursday. Instead, the committee will convene on Saturday to determine the course of action regarding the strike. Cho expressed concern about the plans of medical professors at some major hospitals to initiate an indefinite strike, urging them to prioritize the well-being of patients. Professors from three major Yonsei University hospitals have voted in favor of such a strike.
Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong speaks during a meeting at the Seoul Government Complex in Jongno District, Seoul, June 25. Yonhap
Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong on Tuesday asked hospitals to quickly accept the resignations of junior doctors who have left their workplaces in protest against the government’s medical reforms, in an apparent attempt to appease the junior doctors.
About 12,000 trainee doctors have quit their jobs since the end of February in protest against the increase in the number of medical students. As a punitive measure, the government ordered hospitals not to accept the dismissal of trainee doctors to prevent them from working at other clinics.
Cho asked teaching hospitals to make every effort to convince trainee doctors to return to work by the end of this month and “stabilize” hospitals.
“For junior doctors who find it difficult to return,” Cho said hospitals should accept their resignations quickly.
This would allow trainee doctors who have defied the government’s return-to-work order to seek employment at other hospitals.
The Health Minister, meanwhile, welcomed the medical community’s latest efforts to establish a committee under the Korea Medical Association to facilitate possible talks with the government.
“If the medical community lends a hand, we can move one step closer to medical reform that benefits the people, patients, doctors and medical staff,” Cho said, noting that the government is ready to initiate dialogue at any time to enter into.
The KMA has meanwhile announced that it will not start an indefinite strike on Thursday, as previously planned. Instead, the group’s committee will meet Saturday to decide how to proceed with such a strike.
The Health Minister also expressed regret over the plans of medical professors in some major hospitals to stage a strike, calling on them to prioritize the lives of patients.
Medical professors from three major Yonsei University hospitals – Severance Hospital, Gangnam Severance Hospital and Yongin Severance Hospital – voted earlier Thursday to go on an indefinite strike. (Yonhap)
