South Korean government warns striking doctors to return to work or face legal action

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The South Korean government on Wednesday warned thousands of striking doctors to return to work immediately or face legal action after their collective walkouts caused cancellations of surgeries and disrupted other hospital operations.

About 7,800 medical interns and residents in South Korea have walked off their jobs this week to protest the government's push to recruit more medical students.

Officials say they want to increase the nationwide medical school admissions cap by 2,000 from next year to brace for South Korea's rapidly ageing population.

But doctors' groups have refuted the plan, saying universities aren't ready to offer quality education to that many students.

They argue the government's push to have more doctors would lead to increased public medical expenses because physicians locked in competition could perform unnecessary treatments.

The 2,000 additional admissions “is a nonsensical figure,” the Korean Intern Residents Association said in a statement Tuesday.

“We hope the government will rethink its plan and formulate a policy that reflects the voices of trainee doctors.”

Junior doctors typically support senior doctors during surgeries and deal with inpatients.

Their joint walkouts have burdened hospital operations.

The Health Ministry said Wednesday that authorities have received 58 public complaints over the walkouts, mostly regarding indefinite delays of surgeries and cancellations of other medical treatments.

“A collective action taking the lives and safety of the people hostage cannot be justified for whatever reason,” Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min told a news conference with other top officials.

Lee said the government issued an official order for striking doctors to return to work.

He said the government would sternly deal with the doctors' walkouts in line with the medical law and other regulations.

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