[News Terms] Irreversible Disposition of Residents

"Cannot be undone or fixed, irreversible"
Welfare Vice Minister: "License suspension is irreversible"

'Irreversible (不可逆的)' means having a nature that cannot return to its original state. The opposite is 'reversible (可逆的)', which means "can be reversed." In other words, it is a word used to mean "cannot be undone or fixed." According to the Korean dictionary, it means "something that does not easily change back and forth according to changes in the surrounding environment."

The term irreversible became known to the public when it was mentioned in the agreement on the Japanese military comfort women issue announced by the Park Geun-hye administration on December 28, 2015. At that time, it was an unfamiliar word rarely used in Korea and was known as a term mainly used in Japan. In Korea, instead of the term irreversible, the term '비가역적 (biga-yeokjeok)' has been used, which is mainly used in physics (quantum mechanics).

A notice about delays and unavailability of consultations is posted in the outpatient clinic of a large hospital in Seoul.
[Photo by Kang Jin-hyung]

In English, it is written as 'Irreversible,' meaning "cannot be reversed." After the second North Korean nuclear crisis on October 3, 2002, the concept of denuclearization defined by the U.S. George Bush administration was 'CVID.' It stands for Complete, Verifiable, Irreversible Dismantling. Here, the word 'irreversible' is sometimes used instead of 'cannot be reversed.'

Regarding the recent collective action of residents, Park Min-su, the 2nd Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, drew attention by using the term 'irreversible' for the residents' disciplinary actions. At the regular briefing on the 4th, he said, "The government will inspect the site and respond according to laws and principles regarding violations," adding, "Especially, strict and swift measures will be taken against key figures involved in the collective action that caused confusion in the medical field."

Park Min-su, Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, giving a briefing.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Vice Minister Park emphasized, "If the government's order to resume work is violated, a license suspension of at least three months is inevitable." He warned, "If a three-month license suspension is imposed, the resident will not fulfill the training period, delaying the acquisition of specialist qualifications by more than a year. Also, the administrative disciplinary record and its reasons will be recorded, which may cause disadvantages in future employment."

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, as of 11 a.m. on the 29th of last month, an inspection of 100 major training hospitals found that 8,945 residents (72% of the total) had left their workplaces. Only 565 residents returned, which is still a negligible level compared to the total number of residents.

Vice Minister Park said, "For those who left the site, the license suspension procedure will begin. This disciplinary action is irreversible."