'Order to Maintain Medical Services and Report Closures' Issued for Private Practitioners
Government: "Medical School Professors Also Subject to Medical Service Maintenance Orders"
Decision Likely Based on Participation Rate and Other Factors
The government has indicated that medical school professors who have announced an indefinite collective strike (general strike) could also be subject to various orders such as work commencement orders and treatment maintenance orders. However, it is expected that the government will respond by monitoring participation rates rather than immediately issuing administrative orders upon the start of the general strike.
On the 12th, a senior official from the Ministry of Health and Welfare said in a phone interview with Asia Economy, "Although treatment maintenance orders have not been issued to medical school professors, professors can also be subject to such orders." The official explained, "Of course, legally professors are also doctors, so they are subject to the Medical Service Act," adding, "If they go on a full strike starting from the 17th, they could be subject to work commencement orders and treatment maintenance orders."
The Emergency Response Committee of Seoul National University College of Medicine and Seoul National University Hospital has resolved to begin a full strike on the 17th unless the government completely cancels the administrative disciplinary procedures imposed on residents. Accordingly, medical services will be suspended at four hospitals?Seoul National University Hospital, Bundang Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul Metropolitan Boramae Hospital, and Gangnam Center?except for essential departments such as emergency rooms and intensive care units.
The Korea Medical Association (KMA), which mainly represents private practitioners, has also announced a full strike on the 18th. However, while the KMA’s threatened collective action involves a one-day strike, the medical school professors’ indefinite collective strike could have a greater impact.
As the faculty of Seoul National University College of Medicine and the Korea Medical Association have each announced collective strikes on the 17th and 18th respectively, on the 11th, a flyer condemning the government's increase in medical school quotas was posted at the Korea Medical Association in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@
The government is currently taking measures to contain the spread by issuing treatment orders and strike notification orders primarily to private practitioners. On the 18th, the government plans to confirm strike status by phone for all clinic-level medical institutions and issue work commencement orders if the strike rate exceeds 30% at the city or county level. Administrative sanctions and penalties will be imposed for non-compliance. Jeon Byung-wang, Director of the Health and Medical Policy Office at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, stated, "Institutions that do not comply with work commencement orders may face a 15-day suspension of operations and suspension of medical license qualifications for up to one year, as well as imprisonment for up to three years or fines of up to 30 million won."
However, such orders are not being directly issued to medical school professors. It is understood that the government is taking a more cautious approach based on the expectation that participation rates among professors will not be high and that premature hardline measures could backfire.
This is not the first time medical school professors have engaged in collective action amid the current phase of medical school enrollment expansion. On March 25, medical school professors submitted collective resignation letters. Although there were concerns about chaos at the level of a medical crisis, the government did not respond immediately. At that time, Jung Dong-ryeol, head of the Central Emergency Medical Countermeasures Headquarters, said, "Since professors are medical professionals, various orders based on the Medical Service Act can be issued regarding their departure from medical sites. However, it is difficult to say whether such orders will be issued now." A month later, on April 25, the government analyzed that only a small number of professors actually left clinical practice after submitting resignation letters. It was explained that the professors’ collective action did not exacerbate medical chaos. No work commencement or treatment maintenance orders were issued to medical school professors.
The government expects low participation again this time. Therefore, it appears that the government will judge based on participation rates and the impact on medical sites rather than immediately issuing various orders. At a Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters briefing on the 10th, Director Jeon said, "Although the medical community has previously decided on collective strikes, participation rates were minimal in the end," adding, "We are not currently considering (issuing orders) separately." He also said, "We are communicating with the Seoul National University Hospital professors’ emergency committee and are practically preparing meetings to resolve the current situation."
The government also emphasizes that the goal of increasing medical school enrollment is 'medical reform' rather than 'punishing doctors.' A Ministry of Health and Welfare official said, "So far, administrative orders have not been issued to professors to minimize provocation," adding, "The government is trying to proceed with medical school enrollment expansion for medical reform, not to punish doctors."
Meanwhile, the National Council of Medical School Professors (Jeonui Gyohyeop) and the National Emergency Response Committee of Medical School Professors (Jeonui Bi) will participate in the strike on the 18th. In particular, Jeonui Gyohyeop plans to hold a general meeting on that day to discuss whether to proceed with a full strike.
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