As trainee doctors in South Korea continue their protests despite the government’s order to cease all demonstrations, the country’s health ministry on Monday said that it will start taking legal action against the healthcare workers to bring an end to their walkout.

South Korea has been witnessing a healthcare crisis since Feb 20 after 9,000 resident and intern doctors, or about 70 per cent of the country’s total, have walked off their jobs leading to the cancellation of some surgeries and treatments and straining emergency departments.

The government had warned the protesting doctors to return to work by the end of Feb or else face legal actions including the suspension of their medical licenses for some surgeries and treatments and straining emergency departments.

“From today, we plan to conduct on-site inspections to confirm trainee doctors who have not returned, and take action according to the law and principle without exception,” Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong told a televised briefing.

“Please keep in mind that doctors who have not returned may experience serious problems in their personal career path,” he added.

Meanwhile, some trainee doctors did return to work after the government’s warning. For such medical workers, Choo said that the government will consider extenuating circumstances when contemplating any action against them.

However, Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo said that the licenses of some 7,000 trainee doctors who had left their jobs would be revoked.

Senior doctors join protests

Senior doctors on Sunday joined their juniors to rally in the South Korean capital of Seoul to express their solidarity for their colleagues.

“The government’s absurd medical policy has triggered immense resistance by trainee doctors and medical students, and we doctors have become one,” Park Sung-min, a senior member of the Korea Medical Association, said in a speech at the rally. “I’m asking the government: Please, stop the threats and suppression now.”

While the senior doctors have joined the protests launched by junior doctors, they have not staged a walkout from their jobs. A strike from senior doctors would be a big blow to South Korea’s healthcare system.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Sunday urged senior doctors to persuade the striking junior doctors to return to work.

Why are doctors protesting?

The protests were fueled after the government announced its plan to increase the number of students admitted to medical school in a bid to bolster the healthcare system of one of the world’s most rapidly aging societies.

The young doctors who are protesting say the government should first address pay and working conditions before trying to increase the number of physicians.