South Korean doctors reject gov’t proposal to end strike

SEOUL

South Korea's leading doctors' body has rejected a revised medical reform plan from the government, the initial version of which sparked a strike two months ago.

The ongoing walkout by thousands of trainee doctors has caused chaos in South Korean hospitals, and is in response to a plan to boost annual admissions to medical schools by 2,000 from next year.

The government on April 19 offered its first concession, allowing 32 universities to admit as few as 1,000 medical students instead of the initially proposed 2,000, but the Korean Medical Association (KMA) said the plan must be abandoned entirely within a week.

The government claims its plan will alleviate doctor shortages for an ageing society, but medical professionals and trainees say it will diminish the quality of education and healthcare.

The strike, which began on Feb. 20, has forced hospitals to cancel essential treatments and surgeries.

On top of the trainee doctors, who play a key role in emergency procedures and surgeries at general hospitals, more than 50 percent of the country's medical students have also filed for a leave of absence, according to the education ministry.

The KMA warned that if the government does not relent, medical students will likely be forced to repeat a year, senior doctors at general hospitals will start to resign on April 25, and the healthcare system could "collapse."