Thousands of South Korean doctors have resigned and staged walkouts in protest of the government’s plan to increase the number of medical students and expand public health care.
The strike, which began on Tuesday, has disrupted the country’s health care system, forcing some hospitals to cancel surgeries and delay treatments.
The government has ordered more than 1,000 junior doctors to return to work immediately, saying their action is illegal and unethical.
The doctors, mostly interns and residents, oppose the government’s proposal to add 4,000 more medical school places over the next 10 years, which they say will lower the quality of education and create more competition.
They also reject the government’s plan to establish a new public medical school and expand health insurance coverage for traditional Korean medicine.
The government says the measures are necessary to address the shortage of doctors in rural areas and prepare for future health crises.
South Korea has one of the lowest doctor-to-population ratios among developed countries, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
The strike has drawn criticism from the public, who accuse the doctors of being selfish and irresponsible.
The Korean Medical Association, the largest doctors’ group in the country, has called for dialogue with the government to resolve the dispute.
