Ryu Ok Hada and Park Dan, two young doctors in South Korea, have quit their jobs in protest. They believe that junior doctors like themselves are overworked, underpaid, and not being heard by the government. Many other young doctors have also resigned, causing hospitals to turn away patients and cancel surgeries.
The doctors are asking for better pay and working conditions to be prioritized over the government’s plan to increase the number of physicians. The government argues that more doctors are needed to provide healthcare in remote areas and meet the needs of an aging population.
Ryu, 25, said that the current medical system in South Korea takes advantage of cheap trainee doctors. They work long hours, with shifts lasting 36 hours or more, compared to less than 24 hours in the US. Korean doctors often work over 100 hours a week, while their counterparts in the US work fewer hours and earn higher salaries.
The government has ordered the protesting doctors to return to work and threatened to arrest them or revoke their licenses. However, the doctors argue that the order is unconstitutional and forces them to work against their will.
The protesting doctors represent a small fraction of South Korea’s total number of doctors but make up a significant portion of staff in large teaching hospitals. They play crucial roles in emergency rooms, intensive care units, and operating rooms.
Emergency rooms at major hospitals in South Korea are facing a shortage of beds, and the government has announced plans to keep public hospitals open longer to meet the demand.
Park, who leads the Korean Intern Resident Association, wants the authorities to focus on bringing doctors into essential fields like pediatrics and emergency medicine. The doctors also want better legal protection against malpractice suits and changes to the healthcare system, which relies on low-paid workers and off-insurance services.
Despite their dedication to their patients, the doctors feel compelled to take a stand against a system they believe is unfair and in need of improvement.
