The striking trainees have defied a February 29 government deadline for them to return to work or face legal action, including possible arrest or suspension of their medical licences.
The government has identified some 7,800 junior doctors who have defied the back-to-work order and officials will send them notifications of their pending licence suspensions starting Tuesday, Second Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo told a press conference.
“As soon as their violations of the back-to-work orders are confirmed, we will send out advance notice of administrative measure starting today,” Park said, referring to the licence suspension.
Despite the warning of suspension, striking junior doctors have not returned to work on any significant scale, government data shows.
As of Monday, nearly 9,000 trainee doctors remained on walkouts, Park said, a figure that has not significantly changed over the last two weeks.
“The government will respond in accordance with laws and principles to keep acts of threatening people’s lives and health from occurring again,” Park said.
Source: CNA
