Seoul National University hospital walkout to go ahead as planned Monday

Medical professors at Seoul National University (SNU) and its four affiliated hospitals announced on Friday that they will stage an indefinite strike as planned starting Monday.

A medical worker enters the emergency center at Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Friday, passing a banner that notifies the postponement of treatment at the emergency room. [YONHAP]

Medical professors at Seoul National University (SNU) and its four affiliated hospitals announced on Friday that they will stage an indefinite strike as planned starting Monday, assuring it would not affect the treatment of patients with critical and rare diseases.

“We would first like to apologize to the patients suffering from serious and rare diseases,” SNU’s emergency response committee said during a press conference held in downtown Seoul. They stressed that the strike will only involve the suspension of non-urgent treatments and surgeries that can be performed at other hospitals.

The committee also urged other medical workers to join the walkout, which aims to address what it says is "an unsustainable medical system."

Last week, medical professors at SNU and its hospitals announced an indefinite suspension of medical services starting June 17, with exceptions for emergency room patients and intensive care units. They said the action will proceed unless the government halts administrative procedures, such as license suspensions for junior doctors, and takes reasonable measures to resolve the medical crisis.

The Korean Health and Medical Workers’ Union, affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, urged doctors to cancel their plans for collective action on Friday. Unionized hospital workers stressed that walkouts by medical professors and the Korean Medical Association (KMA) should not place an additional burden on others, calling on doctors to acknowledge the problems within Korea’s medical system and to work together to develop reasonable solutions.

Medical professors at three hospitals affiliated with Yonsei University also plan to halt most services beginning June 27.

SNU’s main hospital in Jongno District, central Seoul, and Yonsei University’s Severance Hospital in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, are considered two of the country’s so-called Big Five hospitals, along with Asan Medical Center, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital and Samsung Medical Center.

Meanwhile, an association of medical professors specializing in epilepsy announced on Friday that they will not participate in the one-day walkout led by the KMA on June 18. In a statement, the association explained its decision, citing concerns from epilepsy patients and their families about missing prescriptions. They noted that the suspension of treatment could increase the risk of physical harm and death for epilepsy patients.

An association of approximately 120 children’s hospitals reportedly said they would also not join the walkout.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, around 4 percent of hospitals nationwide, or 1,463 of 36,371, have reported that they will close on June 18 as part of the KMA-led strike. The KMA previously announced that 73.5 percent of its 70,800 members had voted to participate in collective action.

In response, the government has ordered doctors to continue providing medical services and to notify local authorities if they close their practices on June 18.

According to Article 59 of the Medical Service Act, the health minister, mayors or governors can issue orders to medical institutions or professionals “if considered necessary for policies on public health and medical services, or if a serious hazard occurs or is likely to occur to public health.”

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]