Ministry of Health Issues 'Attention' Alert on Healthcare Crisis Ahead of KMA General Strike Vote

On the 17th, a General Rally
Welfare Minister: "Highly Inappropriate"

Amid the Korean Medical Association's opposition to the 'expansion of medical school quotas' and its announcement of a strike vote and a general rally, the government has declared the health care crisis at the 'interest' level.

On the 10th, the Ministry of Health and Welfare held an internal crisis assessment meeting chaired by Minister Cho Kyu-hong and decided to declare the health care crisis at the 'interest' level, considering the medical community's situation and the criteria for declaration, and to form an emergency response team.

The 'interest' level, according to the standard manual for health care disaster crisis management, is a stage to review medical measures in preparation for strikes or work stoppages by health care-related organizations and to establish cooperation systems with related agencies.

Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyu-hong is speaking at the 'Ulsan Regional Meeting for Innovation in Regional and Essential Medical Care' held at Ulsan City Hall on the afternoon of the 6th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Ministry of Health and Welfare stated that it will set up a dedicated team within the emergency response team to establish emergency medical measures and inspect the medical system to ensure there is no confusion or inconvenience at medical sites. It also said, "We will continue sincere dialogue with the medical community but will strictly respond to illegal collective actions according to law and principles."

Earlier, the Korean Medical Association announced that it would conduct a vote among all members starting on the 11th to ask for approval or disapproval of the expansion of medical school quotas and hold a general rally of doctors around Sejong-daero on the 17th.

If doctors engage in collective actions such as work stoppages, they may be punished for refusal of medical treatment under the Medical Service Act. In the case of illegal work stoppages, the government delivers a work commencement order to the operator of the medical institution on strike, and violators of the order may face administrative sanctions (15-day suspension of business) and criminal prosecution.

Members of the "Special Committee for Countermeasures by the Medical Community to Prevent the Collapse of Healthcare in the Republic of Korea" (Special Committee) held a protest on the 6th in front of the Korean Medical Association building in Yongsan, Seoul, opposing the government's plan to increase medical school quotas. The photo shows Lee Pil-su, president of the Korean Medical Association, speaking. [Image source=Yonhap News]