Korean Government to Remove Penalties for Striking Doctor Trainees

It looks like the Korean government is starting to wobble a bit on their initiative to increase the number of medical school students to address the ongoing doctor shortage in South Korea:

The government has decided to drop all punitive measures against striking trainee doctors as it refocuses efforts on swiftly restoring the operation of medical services disrupted by their absences nationwide for months.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Monday that it shelved its plan to enforce penalties, including the suspensions of their medical licenses, on more than 12,000 trainee doctors for their refusal to comply with its order to return to work.

This would put an end to a nearly five-month standoff between the trainee doctors and the ministry, which refused to approve the resignations of those who left hospitals in protest of its decision to increase the nation’s medical school admissions quota.

Korea Times

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