Seoul, South Korea — A South Korean court ruled in favor of the government’s controversial push to drastically increase medical school admissions on Thursday, dealing a setback to practicing doctors’ concerted efforts to push the plan forward.
A standoff between the government and doctors opposing the plan has shaken the country’s medical system for months. With widespread support from senior doctors, more than 12,000 junior doctors, who are medical interns and residents, have remained off work since February.
The Seoul High Court rejected a request by striking doctors and other opponents to block the plan, which would increase the annual enrollment quota at medical schools by 2,000 from the current cap of 3,058.
Lee Byung-chul, a lawyer for the doctors, said he will prepare to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. Lim Hyun-taek, a hardline leader of a doctors’ association, said his organization will issue a statement on Friday after reviewing the verdict.
Authorities have said they want to add up to 10,000 doctors by 2035 to address the country’s rapidly aging population and a shortage of doctors in rural areas and in essential but low-paying specialties such as pediatrics and emergency services.
Doctors say schools are not prepared to deal with an abrupt increase in students and that this would ultimately harm the country’s medical services. But critics argue that doctors, one of the highest-paying jobs in South Korea, are primarily concerned that having more doctors will reduce their income.
The request to suspend the enrollment plan was presented by 18 people, including doctors, medical students and others who wish to enter medical schools.
The Seoul High Court has ruled that doctors and potential future medical students are not qualified to file administrative cases, calling them third parties in the case. The court acknowledged that current medical students could suffer potential harm from the tuition plan, but still rejected their request to protect the “public good.” It said suspending the recruitment plan could cause “immense” harm to efforts to increase doctors in rural areas and other essential roles.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo welcomed the decision, saying the government appreciates “the wise decision of the Judiciary.” He said the government will take steps to finalize medical school admission plans for the 2025 academic year by the end of this month.
Han called on the striking junior doctors to return to work immediately, saying it is difficult to maintain the country’s emergency medical system without them. But South Korean media quoted some striking doctors as saying they have no intention of returning to work.
The striking doctors are a fraction of all doctors in South Korea, estimated to number between 115,000 and 140,000. But in some large hospitals, they make up around 30% to 40% of doctors, assisting fully qualified doctors and department heads during surgeries and other treatments during training. Their strikes have caused cancellations of countless surgeries and other care at their hospitals and overwhelmed South Korea’s medical services.
In support of their action, many senior doctors from their schools also resigned, although they did not stop treating patients.
Government authorities previously threatened to suspend the licenses of striking doctors, but later suspended these administrative measures to facilitate dialogue with the strikers.
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