Скачать или смотреть Government vows to deal sternly with nationwide doctors strike

Tens of thousands of doctors are set to go on a nationwide strike from next Monday... in protest of the government's plan to introduce telemedicine and for-profit subsidiaries in hospitals.
The government says it won't just sit and let a medical crisis unfold,... vowing to deal with the strike using all legal means available.
Yoo Li-an reports. With an overwhelming "yes" vote of almost 80 percent,... the Korea Medical Association has decided to go ahead with a nationwide walkout from March 10th.
The protest is the first in 14 years,... and given that over half of all practicing doctors nationwide participated in the vote,... it could potentially deal a huge blow to the medical industry and to patients in need of medical services.
Doctors in Korea are furious about a government plan announced late last year,... to introduce telemedicine and for-profit hospital subsidiaries.
They are concerned such measures lay the groundwork for privatizing medical services.


"Doctors are feeling extremely desperate given the reality they're facing, so many will voluntarily take part in this strike."

The Ministry of Health and Welfare is trying to reassure the public that the strike will not lead to that much inconvenience,... given that they expect the participation rate to only be in the twenty to thirty percent range.
The government has also vowed to take legal measures against those who take part in the strike.


"We will first order the hospital to resume operations. If it does not do so,... it will be suspended from all business operations for 15 days."

Both the ruling and opposition parties have slammed the decision,...calling on the medical association to call off the walkout for the sake of patients' health.
But given that both the government and the medical association are refusing back down, not many are holding much hope for a compromise being reached any time soon.
Yoo Li-an, Arirang News.