South Korean doctors prepare for large-scale protest

The Korean Medical Association (KMA), which represents the majority of doctors in the country, announced on March 2 that it would hold a large-scale protest with the participation of 20,000 doctors in western Seoul today.

This is the latest move by doctors to protest the decision to increase the medical school enrollment quota by 2,000 people per year from 2025. More than 10,000 resident doctors have submitted resignations since February 20, forcing the government to increase pressure and warn of sanctions against them.

South Korean officials have not commented on the KMA’s announcement of a protest. Police have previously searched the homes and offices of union officials, suspecting them of encouraging doctors to walk out en masse and helping to foment the strike.

The South Korean government has said it will not prosecute doctors who took part in the strike if they return to work by February 29, and those who fail to comply could have their licenses revoked. But only about 6% of the striking doctors returned to work by the deadline.

The situation has disrupted the South Korean healthcare system, especially major hospitals. Many facilities have had to refuse patients and cancel surgeries.

The South Korean government says increasing medical school enrollment is necessary because the country has the lowest doctor-to-population ratio among developed countries. It will improve medical services in remote areas and meet the needs of the country’s rapidly aging population.

Meanwhile, resident doctors say the government needs to address their income and working conditions before increasing the number of medical staff.