Mass Resignations of Medical Professors in South Korea in Protest of Enrollment Plan

In a bold move to express their disagreement with the government’s plan to increase medical school enrollment, several professors from medical schools in South Korea shaved their heads and submitted their resignations. This is happening amidst a strike by nearly 10,000 interns and resident doctors since February 20, demanding changes to the enrollment plan.

According to the Korea Times, around 10 professors from the medical school at Kangwon National University, located 76 km east of Seoul in Chuncheon, held a head-shaving ceremony to demonstrate their opposition. The head professor of the university’s medical school, Ryu Se-min, stated that despite many professors expressing their dissent over the increase in enrollment, the university made the decision to proceed with the plan.

Not only professors from Kangwon National University, but also professors from other medical schools in different regions shared their intent to resign on social media and submitted their resignation letters at their workplaces. One cardiovascular professor at the University Hospital of Chungbuk National University, located 112 km south of Seoul in Cheongju, submitted his resignation to protest the government’s enrollment plan. In a social media post, he mentioned that there was no reason for him to stay at the hospital if he couldn’t work with the striking interns and resident doctors.

The crisis in South Korea’s healthcare system continues to escalate as the strike by the interns and resident doctors has now reached the 16-day mark. The impact on the country’s healthcare sector has been severe. In response to the intense protests from the doctors, the South Korean government decided to revoke the licenses of approximately 7,000 resident doctors and also announced the prosecution of key members of the medical associations.

The situation is reported to be critical, and the government’s measures have drawn widespread criticism. The ongoing strike illustrates the deep-rooted dissatisfaction within the medical community and highlights the urgent need for a resolution to the enrollment issue.

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Source: Korea Times