By The Financial District
Mar 51 min
South Korea's health minister said that authorities will start inspecting hospitals and take legal action against trainee doctors who have ignored an ultimatum to end a walkout over government plans to increase medical school admissions, Joyce Lee, Jihyun Jeon, and Hyonhee Shin reported for Reuters.
"From today, we plan to conduct on-site inspections to confirm trainee doctors who have not returned, and take action according to the law and principle without exception," Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong told a televised briefing. I Photo: Yonhap News Agency
Around 9,000 resident and intern doctors, or about 70% of the country's total, have walked off the job since Feb. 20, leading to the cancellation of some surgeries and treatments and putting a strain on emergency departments.
The government had warned the protesting trainee physicians they could face administrative and legal penalties, including the suspension of their medical licenses and fines or a jail term if they did not return to work by the end of last month.
"From today, we plan to conduct on-site inspections to confirm trainee doctors who have not returned, and take action according to the law and principle without exception," Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong told a televised briefing.
"Please keep in mind that doctors who have not returned may experience serious problems in their personal career path."
For protesting doctors who returned to the field, Cho said the government would consider extenuating circumstances when contemplating any action against them.