Senior doctors at three major hospitals affiliated with Korea University were set to begin reducing treatment of non-critical patients Friday, joining walkouts by two other major hospitals in support of striking junior doctors.

The planned walkout by Korea University’s three hospitals — Anam Hospital, Guro Hosptial and Ansan Hospital — will not affect critically ill patients and emergency rooms, according to the university’s medical professors who serve as senior doctors at the hospitals.

About 80 percent of the professors voted in favor of the walkout, and they will take voluntary leave.

Medical professors at three major hospitals of Yonsei University have also been participating in a walkout since late last month, while those at Asan Medical Center have been cutting outpatient care since early July, blaming the government for causing disruptions in public health services.

Since late February, about 12,000 trainee doctors have left their worksites in protest of the government’s plan to boost the numb
er of medical students. The walkout has put a strain on major hospitals because they heavily rely on junior doctors.

With the hike in the medical school admissions quota finalized, the government has taken steps to persuade trainee doctors to return to hospitals, including a decision to drop all punitive measures against them.

But junior doctors were largely seen as unresponsive. According to the health ministry, only 8 percent of junior doctors at 211 training hospitals remained at their worksites as of Wednesday.

Source: Yonhap News Agency