Sanctions on Non-returning Residents Begin from the 4th
KMA: "Strong Resistance Will Arise if Government Suppresses"
Only 6% Return Despite Government's Final Ultimatum
The government announced its plan to begin administrative actions such as license suspension and judicial prosecution from the 4th against residents who have not returned to hospitals by the 3rd. Lee Sang-min, Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the 2nd Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH), stated on KBS's 'Sunday Diagnosis Live' that "Residents who returned by the 3rd will be treated with leniency as much as possible," but added, "If they do not return, various administrative measures and, if necessary, punishments will be carried out according to law and principles."
On the afternoon of the 3rd, a nationwide doctors' general strike rally to oppose the increase in medical school quotas and the essential medical package is being held near Yeouidaero next to Yeouido Park in Seoul. [Photo by Yonhap News]
The government made it clear that unlike during the 2020 doctors' collective action, there will be no relief this time. Cho Kyu-hong, Minister of Health and Welfare, appeared on a recent broadcast and said, "I believe that previous relief measures delayed medical reform," and emphasized, "There are no such plans this time."
Medical associations are opposing the government's stance, calling it "intimidation of doctors" and "enslavement of doctors." In particular, at the 'National Doctors' General Rally' held by the Korean Medical Association (KMA) in the Yeouido area of Seoul the previous day, An Deok-seon, Honorary Professor at Korea University College of Medicine, took the podium and criticized, "The policy direction of command and control in healthcare originated from the tradition of Japanese colonial rule," adding, "This tradition was inherited as administrative orders at the start of the civilian government’s work and has now evolved into an ultra-legal extreme abuse of power with rampant criminal punishments and license revocations."
Doctors Mock the Term 'Uisae' Through the 'Uisae' Challenge
On the 3rd, the Korean Medical Association held the 'National Doctors' General Rally' in the Yeouido area of Seoul, urging the immediate suspension of medical school quota increases and essential medical package policies. Among them, Lim Hyun-taek, President of the Korean Pediatric Society, who was subject to a police search and seizure on suspicion of instigating and aiding the residents' collective action, posted on Facebook on the 3rd, "One pediatrician said they no longer want to live in this country and is learning welding." He also mentioned that he is ready to help those struggling financially among the voluntarily resigned residents, lamenting, "Among the 'Uisae,' the most pitiful 'Uisae' in the world is the one whose phone and laptop were all confiscated by seven criminal officers," expressing his own situation.
Among residents, the 'Uisae Challenge' is also trending. It is a meme combining the words "doctor" and "bird," created and shared online or used to change profile pictures. This mocks the way Park Min-su, the Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare, pronounced "doctor" in a briefing last month, which sounded like the derogatory term "Uisae." [Photo source=Online community]
On the 1st, Lim was subjected to a police search and seizure along with current and former KMA executives. The police requested travel bans for four individuals: Kim Taek-woo, Chairman of the KMA Emergency Committee; Joo Soo-ho, Media and Public Relations Chairman; Park Myung-ha, Organization Strengthening Chairman; and Lim Hyun-taek, President of the Korean Pediatric Society. Among residents, the 'Uisae Challenge' is also trending. It involves creating or changing profile pictures with memes combining the words for doctor and bird. This mocks the pronunciation of 'doctor' as 'Uisae,' which sounded derogatory during a briefing by Park Min-soo, the 2nd Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, last month.
Meanwhile, as of the 29th of last month, 565 residents have returned based on 100 training hospitals. This accounts for 6% of the 9,438 residents who left the field and received work commencement orders. The government received 'non-compliance confirmation letters' from 7,854 residents (tentative) who were confirmed not to have complied with the orders during on-site inspections. The government will begin administrative and judicial procedures from the 4th against residents who have not returned by the 3rd. Those who merely participated will face at least a three-month license suspension, while ringleaders will be reported to the police and subjected to judicial procedures. Violating the work commencement order can result in a license suspension of at least three months up to one year, along with imprisonment of up to three years or a fine of up to 30 million KRW. If prosecuted and sentenced to imprisonment or higher, the medical license may be revoked.
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