Doctors’ Protests Intensify In Korea As Essential Healthcare Challenges Highlighted

Essential Drug Supplies Also In Spotlight

South Korea’s healthcare services face both longer-term systemic challenges and short-term disruption from ongoing doctor walkouts over government plans to boost medical trainees. Meanwhile, the local pharma industry is calling for new measures to support the supply of essential drugs.  

protest
Policy Package Aims To Protect Essential Healthcare Amid “Unfair” Compensation • Source: Shutterstock

As South Korea faces growing concerns over a healthcare crisis amid a protracted, large-scale walk-out by trainee doctors protesting a policy package that would boost medical school students, the government has issued an ultimatum, warning protesters face license suspension from March if they continue.

Nearly 10,000 intern and resident doctors have walked out from general hospitals, demanding the government withdraw the "wrong" policy and...

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