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Doctors go on one-day strike in Korea

March 10, 2014

A notice giving details of a shutdown is posted on the door of a hospital in Seoul, Sunday, a day before doctors are scheduled to participate in a one-day strike. / Korea Times photo by Kim Joo-sung

In protest of government policy

(Yonhap) — Thousands of doctors staged a one-day strike Monday in protest of the government’s plan to introduce a new medical system, partly causing inconveniences to patients across the country.

The massive walkout by doctors, the first of its kind in 14 years, involves medical clinics, and interns and resident physicians working in hospitals around the country.

“We oppose the government’s plan to allow remote medical examinations and treatment, as well as for-profit hospitals, and can no longer stand the country’s wrong health insurance and medical systems,” the Korean Medical Association, which represents 100,000 doctors around the country, said of the main reason for their strike.

The walkout on Monday, usually the busiest day of the week, caused inconveniences for some patients, but no major “chaos” in the nation’s medical system. As of noon, only about 29 percent or 8,339 out of the 28,691 clinics around the country closed down for the day to take part in the collective action, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

President Park Geun-hye vowed to deal sternly with the strike, saying there should never be cases in which those with vested interests cause damage “by taking collective action in the areas closely linked to the health and everyday lives” of people. “The government will engage actively with reasonable and constructive dialogue but will make sure to hold those seeking unreasonable collective interests … accountable and deal sternly with them according to law and principles,” Park said during a meeting with senior secretaries.

Members of the association voted to take the collective action earlier this month. The doctors’ group also argues that exceptionally low charges for medical treatment often lead to over-diagnosis and excessive treatment.

After the one-day strike, doctors will hold another round of walkout for six days from March 24-29 depending on the result of possible negotiations with the government, the association said.

The government began operating an emergency medical system in which public health centers and other public hospitals will extend their work hours in order to minimize damage from the collective shutdown.

The welfare ministry said it took steps to order clinics confirmed to be participating in the action to immediately reopen or suspend their operations for a certain period.

In addition to the administrative measures, those rejecting the government order can also face criminal punishment, ministry officials said.

Doctors gather on March 10, 2014 for a news conference at the headquarters of the Korean Medical Association in Seoul, as members of the association staged a one-day strike in protest of the government’s medical policy.