"Decided to Take a Break"... Hospital Intern Verifies License and Resolves to Resign on YouTube

Government's Plan to Increase Medical School Enrollment by 2,000 Sparks Medical Community Backlash
No Collective Action from Residents, but Resignation Video Gains Attention
"Not a Greed of Privileged Group, Not About Protecting Their Own Interests"

The Korean Intern Resident Association (Daejeon Association), which opposed the government's plan to increase the number of medical school students, has temporarily restrained from strikes and other collective actions and shifted to an emergency countermeasure committee system. Amid this, an intern at Daejeon St. Mary's Hospital has attracted attention with a 'resignation video.' On the 13th, Hong, who identified himself as an intern in the Department of Orthopedics at Daejeon St. Mary's Hospital after graduating from Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, posted a video titled 'Resolution' on the YouTube channel 'GonggongTube_MediTalk,' revealing his face and real name.

Intern Hong Mo from Daejeon St. Mary's Hospital, who revealed his medical license on his YouTube channel and explained the background of his resignation. [Image source=Screenshot from YouTube channel 'GonggongTube_Metytok']

Hong explained the reason for his resignation, saying, "I decided to resign and take a break due to personal reasons," adding, "There are various reasons, but I judged that it is no longer possible to continue medical practice in the current situation filled with hostility and anger toward doctors. I intend to put those thoughts aside for a while."

He continued, "I am both a medical practitioner and a guardian of a patient," and said, "Please do not simply dismiss the reason I had to give up this work as the greed of vested interests or protecting one's own turf. I will carefully consider what to do next." He also revealed his medical license and license number, saying, "If anyone watches this video and thinks I am inciting collective action, they can take away my license."

The video has spread online, recording over 40,000 views within nine hours of being posted. Comments included, "As a senior doctor, my heart aches," "I am angry at the government's attitude toward doctors," and "Watching Park Min-su (Vice Minister of Health and Welfare) shamelessly ask doctors to stay by patients' sides while threatening license revocation tests my patience to the limit."

On the 13th, posters condemning the increase in medical school quotas were posted at the Korea Medical Association in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, where residents of large hospitals held an online general meeting to discuss countermeasures against the expansion of medical school quotas. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Hong is reportedly accepted as a resident in the Department of Orthopedics at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, one of the 'Big 5' hospitals in the metropolitan area, raising attention to whether this video will trigger a wave of resignations among residents. On the same day, Park Dan, president of the Daejeon Association, posted on his social media, "I do not know how to trust a government that threatens the younger generation by mentioning work commencement orders and license cancellations," and demanded, "I hope the essential medical policy package and the plan to increase medical school students by 2,000 are completely scrapped and reconsidered from scratch."

The Korean Medical College and Medical School Student Association also reportedly held an online general meeting to discuss collective actions such as allied leave of absence. The Korean Medical Association plans to hold rallies opposing the increase in medical school students across the country on the 15th and decide on a general strike after meetings over the weekend.