Ongoing Hospital Collective Strike... Angry Patients Take to the Streets

Following Severance Hospital, large hospitals such as Seoul Asan Medical Center have consecutively begun readjusting their medical services, including reductions in care, but it has been confirmed that no major disruptions have occurred in the medical field. Amid ongoing controversies over reduced medical services, the government has expressed concerns, while patients and their families have taken to the streets to urge the suspension of strikes in order to protect the 'right to receive treatment.'

Visitors are moving at Seoul Asan Medical Center in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on the 4th, when professors at Seoul Asan Medical Center began reducing medical services. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

According to the medical community on the 4th, professors at Seoul Asan Medical Center began 'medical service readjustment' from that day. Initially, the Emergency Response Committee of the Ulsan College of Medicine Professors' Association, which considers Seoul Asan Medical Center as a training hospital, planned to enter an 'indefinite strike' starting that day, but changed the policy to reduce and readjust medical services the day before, considering patient harm. Although it is effectively a strike, instead of a full strike, the plan is to focus on severe and emergency patients who need immediate care.

According to the committee's own tally, compared to the same period last year, major surgeries are expected to decrease by 49%, outpatient care by 30.5%, and new patient consultations by 42.1%. However, the hospital explained that the number of medical treatments and surgeries is maintaining figures similar to before. The hospital union also stated, "The number of professors actually participating is estimated to be around 10," and added, "We believe the situation is not serious."

Following Severance Hospital and Seoul Asan Medical Center, Korea University Medical Center is scheduled to begin medical service readjustment and strikes on the 12th, and Chungbuk National University Hospital on the 26th.

A general rally of patients urging the withdrawal of the doctors' collective strike and the enactment of a law to prevent recurrence, attended by members of patient organizations such as the Korea Breast Cancer Patients Federation and the Korea Patient Organization Federation, was held on the 4th in front of Bosingak in Jongno, Seoul. Participants are shouting slogans calling for the normalization of medical services. Photo by Heo Younghan younghan@

The government and patients have expressed concerns about the doctors' collective strike and urged its suspension. Kim Guk-il, Director of Health and Medical Policy at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said at a briefing of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters held at the Government Seoul Office that day regarding Asan Medical Center's 'medical service readjustment' policy, "We are relieved that this decision was made for the patients," and added, "We ask that extreme measures such as an indefinite collective strike be stopped." Regarding potential patient harm caused by this, he said, "We are continuously monitoring the situation and operating a damage report counseling center for necessary cases," and added, "We are making every effort to fully support patients."

On the same day, 92 patient organizations, including the Korea Breast Cancer Patient Federation, Korea Patient Organization Federation, and Korea Rare and Intractable Disease Federation, held a 'Patient Rally Urging the Withdrawal of Doctors' Collective Strike and Enactment of Recurrence Prevention Law' in front of Bosingak in Jongno, Seoul, voicing demands to guarantee the right to treatment.

They stated, "Patients and their families have taken to the streets because they can no longer endure ongoing harm and anxiety," emphasizing, "Medical supply for the sick must never be interrupted under any circumstances, and signals that medical supply could be interrupted should not be given as it only fosters anxiety." They further urged the government, National Assembly, resident doctors, and medical school professors to ▲withdraw the indefinite strike ▲transition tertiary hospitals to specialist-centered hospitals and improve resident training environments ▲and legislate related laws to ensure essential medical services are provided without interruption in the event of medical professionals' collective actions.