S. Korean authorities urged doctors to return to work amid prolonged strike
On June 18th, the South Korean government issued a return-to-work order for private practitioners, since more and more doctors, including professors, are joining the months-long strike in protest against the increase in admission to medical universities, Reuters reports
According to South Korean Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyoo-hong, about 4 percent of the approximately 36,000 private clinics notified the government of plans to close today to take part in the protest.
“The government previously issued a return-to-work order to striking trainee doctors before withdrawing it earlier this month as an ‘olive branch’. Under the law, doctors defying the return-to-work order can face suspension of their licences or other legal repercussions,” the publication reads.
Some doctors and medical staff openly criticise the collective action in response to the government’s move to increase admission to medical schools to solve the problem of the shortage of doctors in the country. Others argue that this decision by the authorities will ‘do little’ to settle the issue.
