Medical personnel at a hospital in Seoul (Yonhap)

The South Korean government on Monday started taking legal steps against some 7,000 trainee doctors who refused to return to work by moving to suspend their licenses for at least three months.

Second Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo said during Monday’s briefing that those who defy the government’s return-to-work orders would be notified of their license suspension on Tuesday.

Health authorities have begun on-site investigations at 50 training hospitals to determine the exact number of unreturned trainee doctors so that the government can take measures “under the law and principles” if they have not. “If (the ministry) confirms (trainee doctors’) absence, we plan to notify them in advance (of the suspension, starting) tomorrow,” he said.

Under the Administrative Procedures Act, when administrative agencies, such as government agencies, impose or take measures that limit rights and interests through decisions, they must notify the individual concerned in advance of the legal basis and facts for the decision and listen to their opinions.

Park noted that the suspension would delay trainee doctors from becoming medical specialists by more than a year since they would fail to fulfill their training period requirements. He also warned that their records and reasons for administrative disciplinary action would toughen their chances of landing a job.

Woo Jong-soo, the police investigation chief, also said that the police would conduct a strict investigation of trainee doctors if officials file complaints against them. No complaints have been reported as of now, according to Woo.

The move comes after the government made its final appeal last week to trainee doctors who tendered their resignations en masse in protest of the planned hike in medical school enrollment quota, adding that authorities will not hold them accountable if they return to work.

A total of 8,945 trainee doctors at 100 training hospitals have left their workplaces as of Thursday at 11 a.m., according to the Health Ministry. Only 565 have returned to their positions.

Meanwhile, the Korean Association of Medical Colleges issued a statement Monday on its official social media account to reach out to the International Federation of Medical Students Associations to address the planned hike issue. The IFMSA is one of the world's oldest medical student associations, boasting an international network of 1.3 million medical students from 139 national organizations in 130 countries.

The KAMC said it won’t “succumb to the tyrannical government” which remains set on pushing the medical quota expansion. Monday marks the deadline for 40 universities to submit requests to expand student enrollment quotas for their medical schools. Colleges that do not request expansion will not have additional seats.

“We are risking our jobs and positions against the government’s threats of prosecution, facing daily fake news and mockery pouring out from the media, only to prevent the malicious package that will wound the medical system,” the statement read.

In addition, the World Medical Association on Sunday issued a new statement to reaffirm its support of Korean doctors’ right to collective action, including strikes.

“The current challenges in Korea result from governmental shortcomings, and it is the government’s responsibility to ensure reasonable working conditions and a strategic plan for medical education development,” it said.

The WMA added that it “strongly condemns” the actions of the Korean government in attempting to “stifle the voices of elected leaders” within the Korean Medical Association, urging the Korean government to uphold the democratic rights and freedom of its citizens.

The South Korean government on Monday started taking legal steps against some 7,000 trainee doctors who refused to return to work by moving to suspend their licenses for at least three months.

Second Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo said during Monday’s briefing that those who defy the government’s return-to-work orders would be notified of their license suspension on Tuesday.

Health authorities have begun on-site investigations at 50 training hospitals to determine the exact number of unreturned trainee doctors so that the government can take measures “under the law and principles” if they have not. “If (the ministry) confirms (trainee doctors’) absence, we plan to notify them in advance (of the suspension, starting) tomorrow,” he said.

Under the Administrative Procedures Act, when administrative agencies, such as government agencies, impose or take measures that limit rights and interests through decisions, they must notify the individual concerned in advance of the legal basis and facts for the decision and listen to their opinions.

Park noted that the suspension would delay trainee doctors from becoming medical specialists by more than a year since they would fail to fulfill their training period requirements. He also warned that their records and reasons for administrative disciplinary action would toughen their chances of landing a job.

Woo Jong-soo, the police investigation chief, also said that the police would conduct a strict investigation of trainee doctors if officials file complaints against them. No complaints have been reported as of now, according to Woo.

The move comes after the government made its final appeal last week to trainee doctors who tendered their resignations en masse in protest of the planned hike in medical school enrollment quota, adding that authorities will not hold them accountable if they return to work.

A total of 8,945 trainee doctors at 100 training hospitals have left their workplaces as of Thursday at 11 a.m., according to the Health Ministry. Only 565 have returned to their positions.

Meanwhile, the Korean Association of Medical Colleges issued a statement Monday on its official social media account to reach out to the International Federation of Medical Students Associations to address the planned hike issue. The IFMSA is one of the world's oldest medical student associations, boasting an international network of 1.3 million medical students from 139 national organizations in 130 countries.

The KAMC said it won’t “succumb to the tyrannical government” which remains set on pushing the medical quota expansion. Monday marks the deadline for 40 universities to submit requests to expand student enrollment quotas for their medical schools. Colleges that do not request expansion will not have additional seats.

“We are risking our jobs and positions against the government’s threats of prosecution, facing daily fake news and mockery pouring out from the media, only to prevent the malicious package that will wound the medical system,” the statement read.

In addition, the World Medical Association on Sunday issued a new statement to reaffirm its support of Korean doctors’ right to collective action, including strikes.

“The current challenges in Korea result from governmental shortcomings, and it is the government’s responsibility to ensure reasonable working conditions and a strategic plan for medical education development,” it said.

The WMA added that it “strongly condemns” the actions of the Korean government in attempting to “stifle the voices of elected leaders” within the Korean Medical Association, urging the Korean government to uphold the democratic rights and freedom of its citizens.