Authorities in South Korea have temporarily revoked the licenses of two senior doctors for reportedly instigating the ongoing protests by medical interns and residents, disrupting hospital activities. This information was shared by one of the doctors on Monday.

The government is taking action against physicians through suspensions, following a strike by doctors-in-training in response to the government’s proposed increase in medical school admissions.

The recruitment strategy is intended to increase the number of medical professionals in order to accommodate the growing elderly population in South Korea. Currently, the ratio of doctors to population in the country is one of the lowest among developed nations. However, physicians argue that schools are not equipped to handle a sudden and significant rise in student enrollment, which could ultimately harm the quality of medical services in the country.

In March, the government took action to suspend the licenses of striking junior doctors who defied orders to return to work by the end of February. The Korean Medical Association, which represents doctors in South Korea, is also under investigation by police for potentially instigating and supporting the strikes.

One of the five members, Park Myung-Ha, reported receiving a letter from the government stating that his license will be suspended for three months starting on April 15. Park, who serves on the KMA’s emergency committee, stated that the committee’s leader, Kim Taek-woo, also received a three-month suspension.

The Health Ministry stated that it will not verify any reported actions taken against specific doctors.

“I, along with my colleagues in the medical field, am deeply disturbed and outraged by the government’s action,” expressed Park in an interview with The Associated Press.

Park alleged that the government was trying to dismantle the KMA emergency committee and send a cautionary message to the junior doctors on strike. He stated that he and his associates are deliberating on taking legal actions in response to the suspension of licenses.

Approximately 12,000 junior physicians have been on strike for a month, but none have had their licenses suspended. Experts speculate that it could take several months to suspend all of their licenses and it is possible that only the leaders of the strike will ultimately face suspension.

Junior doctors make up fewer than 10% of South Korea’s 140,000 doctors. However, in certain large hospitals, they make up around 30%-40% of the medical staff, providing support to senior doctors during surgeries and caring for patients while receiving training.

Their attacks have resulted in the cancellation or delay of numerous surgical procedures and medical treatments. However, authorities assert that the nation’s management of urgent and crucial patients has remained mostly secure.

A group of senior physicians from prestigious university hospitals have made the decision to hand in their resignations next week in solidarity with their junior colleagues. However, it is expected that the majority of them will still fulfill their duties. If they were to cease working, it would greatly impact the provision of medical services in South Korea.

During a meeting on Monday, Vice Minister of Health Park Min-soo encouraged experienced doctors to reconsider their arrangements and convince the protesting resident doctors to resume their duties.

Park stated that it is unacceptable to use the lives of individuals for negotiation purposes, regardless of any situation.

In February, the government announced a plan to raise the limit on medical school admissions by 2,000 for next year. This is a significant increase from the current cap of 3,058, which has remained the same since 2006.

Authorities state that there is a need for additional physicians to address the persistent shortage of doctors in rural regions and in vital but financially unprofitable fields.

However, physicians claim that recently hired students would also aspire to practice in the metropolitan area and in lucrative specialties such as plastic surgery and dermatology. They argue that the government’s proposal would lead to doctors providing unnecessary procedures as a result of heightened competition.

Majority of the South Korean population approves the government’s program for hiring. However, opponents argue that doctors, who are among the highest paid occupations in the country, are primarily concerned about potential decreases in their income.