S. Korean Prez calls for flexible ways to process suspension of medical licenses

Seoul, March 24 (IANS) President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol on Sunday urged Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to consult with political parties to seek a flexible process in suspending the licenses of striking trainee doctors, the Presidential office said.

Yoon also asked Han to form a “constructive consultative body” to promote dialogue with medical workers, according to his office.

Yoon’s order was made at the request of ruling People Power Party (PPP) Chief Han Dong-hoon after he held talks with a group of medical professors earlier in the day, reports Yonhap News Agency.

More than 90 per cent of the country’s 13,000 trainee doctors have been on strike in the form of mass resignations for about a month to protest the government’s decision to increase the medical school enrollment quota by 2,000 seats from the current 3,058 starting next year to enhance health care services in remote areas, as well as essential but less popular medical disciplines.

The government has been taking due administrative steps to suspend the licenses of striking doctors as they missed a government-set deadline to return to work late last month, and the suspension will take effect Tuesday for some.

–IANS

shs/dan