CNA Explains: Why thousands of doctors in South Korea are striking – and defying deadlines to return to work

Thousands of junior doctors in South Korea walked off the job last week, to protest against the government’s plan to raise the number of students admitted into medical schools.

The striking doctors-in-training have continued their labour action past the Thursday (Feb 29) deadline to report back to work, and now risk facing prosecution and suspension of their medical licence. 

Why are junior doctors protesting?

Doctors, who are considered essential workers in South Korea, are restricted by law from striking.

But some 9,000 medical interns and residents – about 80 per cent of the trainee workforce – have been on strike since Feb 20, disrupting services at major hospitals, which have been forced to cancel surgeries and turn away some patients. 

Most striking doctors remained off the job on Friday, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency. 

Their main gripe? 

President Yoon Suk-yeol’s government wants to boost medical school admissions by 2,000 a year, from the current 3,058 to alleviate a shortage of doctors and a looming demographic crisis. The plan is meant to eventually add up to 10,000 doctors by 2035.