The South Korean government warned on Monday that young doctors could face prosecution if they do not return to work until the end of February, as protests that disrupted services for patients at several major hospitals entered a second week.
Two-thirds of the nation's resident and intern doctors had walked off the job to protest a government plan to increase the number of students admitted to medical school in a bid to address what authorities say is a shortage of doctors that is set to worsen in one of the world's fastest aging societies.
Official figures show more than 10,000 junior doctors – 80.5% of the trainee workforce – have resigned as part of a spiraling action against government plans.
The protest has forced hospitals to turn away patients and cancel procedures.
The mass work stoppage has forced hospitals to turn away patients and has resulted in cancellations and postponements of surgeries for cancer patients and C-sections for pregnant women, with the government raising its public health alert to the highest level over the fallout.
Doctors are considered essential workers in South Korea and are restricted by law from striking. The government has repeatedly claimed the mass resignation is unlawful.
As of Monday, 9,006 trainee doctors had not shown up for work, and the government warned that legal action against those on strike would soon be "inevitable."
"Considering the gravity of the situation, the government issues the last plea," Safety Minister Lee Sang-min said at the opening of a task-force meeting, adding that chaos was mounting in hospitals and emergency services had reached a "dangerous situation."
"If you return to the hospital you left behind by Feb. 29, you won't be held responsible for what has already happened," he said. "We urge you to remember your voice will be heard loudly and most effectively when you are by the side of patients."
The government has previously warned that it could take legal action against doctors who do not comply with a back-to-work order, including prosecution, possible arrest and stripping of their medical licenses.
The young doctors who are protesting say the government should first address pay and working conditions before trying to increase the number of physicians.
Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo said those who did not return by March 1 would face a minimum three-month suspension of their medical license, among other legal action.
Park warned that this measure would remain on their record and might affect the junior doctors' future career prospects, including overseas employment.
"It is not too late, so please return to your patients immediately," he said.
Hospitals across the country have struggled with a shortage of doctors in the past week, with local media reporting Monday that more doctors – including fellows and even fresh medical school graduates – were joining the protests.
Senior doctors and private practitioners have not joined the walkout but have held rallies urging the government to scrap its plan to boost medical school quotas.
Many South Koreans support the plan, which has been spearheaded by President Yoon Suk Yeol.
A recent Gallup Korea poll showed about 76% of respondents approved of the plan, regardless of their political affiliation, and a separate opinion poll by Realmeter released on Monday showed that Yoon's approval rating had risen to 41.9%, the first time in eight months it has topped the 40% level.
Seoul says it has one of the lowest doctor-to-population ratios among developed countries.
In a package of policy plans to improve medical services, the government said it would increase the number of new medical students by 2,000 a year and expand legal protection against malpractice suits and prosecution.
It also plans to give incentives for doctors to practice in essential disciplines such as pediatrics and general surgery and in regional areas where a shortage of doctors is more serious.
Doctors have voiced fierce opposition to the government's plan, maintaining it would hurt the quality of service. Proponents of the reform say doctors are mainly concerned the reforms could erode their salaries and social status.
Junior doctors say the reforms are the final straw in a profession where they already struggle with tough working conditions. They also argue that the over-reliance on trainees in the current health care system is not reasonable or fair.
Some doctors, however, say the government's plan is aimed at winning more votes in the April general election.
In a statement, medical professors at Seoul National University, which runs one of the top medical schools in the country, called on the authorities to postpone discussing the plan until after the elections.
