Handuksoo: "Extension of Resident Recruitment in Second Half... Strict Measures Against 'Return Obstruction'"

Announcement of Execution Plans for Four Major Tasks at the End of This Month

The government has announced its plan to extend the recruitment period for residents in the second half of the year.

On the 7th, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo presided over a Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting related to the doctors' collective action held at the Government Seoul Office and stated, "The recruitment period for residents in the second half of the year will be extended during this week." He added, "Although the recruitment for residents in the second half of the year was conducted by training hospitals until the 31st of last month, the number of applicants was not high," and explained, "The government is taking all flexible measures possible within the limits allowed by law."

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is speaking at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting on collective medical action held at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 7th. Photo by Jo Yong-jun jun21@

The government applied a 'training exception' to applicants for the second half resident recruitment starting training next month to encourage their return, but many places did not exceed single-digit applicants. Prime Minister Han said, "In some communities, personal information of returning residents is being disclosed, with expressions such as 'house burglar' and 'collaborator' used without hesitation, and personal information leaks are frequent," emphasizing, "The government will take strict measures against acts that hinder their return."

He stressed, "The government will communicate and persuade until the very end so that even a single resident can return to the hospital," and "We will carefully monitor and assist returning residents to ensure they do not suffer any disadvantages." He continued, "The government continues flexible measures such as withdrawing administrative orders and allowing training exceptions," and explained, "We have announced that we will accept most of the residents' demands except for the cancellation of the 2025 medical school enrollment increase."

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo pointed out, "For decades, the medical community has requested the government to prepare measures out of concern for the collapse of regional and essential medical care, but past governments did not prepare proper measures, citing financial conditions, and relied on temporary solutions," and said, "I believe this is the very reason why the medical community does not trust the current government's medical reform." He stated, "We will demonstrate the government's commitment to medical reform through direct actions so that the medical community can firmly trust it," and announced that by the end of this month, the government will release an implementation plan for the four major medical reform tasks and the scale of financial investment for the next five years. Additionally, the discussion process of the Special Committee on Medical Reform will be disclosed weekly through briefings, and public hearings on the structural transformation of tertiary hospitals will also be held.