Ministry of Justice and Ministry of the Interior to Announce Response Plan to 'Medical Sector Collective Action' Today

Likely to Announce a Hardline Response... Reviewing Medical Law Violations and Obstruction of Business

In response to the increase in medical school admissions, medical students and residents have each decided to take collective leave of absence and are submitting resignation letters to hospitals, leading to collective action in the medical community. The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety are set to announce their response plans.

On the 20th, the outpatient waiting area of a large hospital in Seoul appeared quiet as residents of the Big 5 hospitals stopped working at 6 a.m. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

On the 21st at 3 p.m., the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety will hold a joint briefing at the Government Seoul Office regarding the collective action in the medical community. Minister of Justice Park Seong-jae and Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min will make the announcements in person, with Deputy Prosecutor General Shin Ja-yong of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and Police Commissioner Yoon Hee-geun also attending.

Earlier, the Ministry of Justice instructed the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to take strict measures against the illegal collective actions by the medical community. The Ministry of Justice ordered, "Maintain an emergency duty system until the illegal collective action situation in the medical community ends, and promptly and strictly handle illegal collective actions such as violations of the Medical Service Act and obstruction of business, while making every effort to minimize public inconvenience and damage."

The Korean Medical Association (KMA) Emergency Response Committee criticized the government, stating that the residents' resignations were an exercise of fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution.

According to an inspection by the Ministry of Health and Welfare of 100 major training hospitals, as of 11 p.m. on the 19th, 6,415 residents, about 55% of those affiliated with these hospitals, submitted resignation letters. Of those who submitted resignations, about 25%, or 1,630 residents, left their workplaces, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare issued work commencement orders to 831 individuals.