Government Urges South Korean Striking Doctors to Return to Work Amidst Hospital Chaos

Approximately 9,000 to 10,000 medical interns and residents in South Korea have gone on strike to protest against the government's plan to increase medical school admissions by about 65 percent. This action has resulted in cancellations and postponements of surgeries for cancer patients, C-sections for pregnant women, and turned away patients from hospitals. The doctors are considered essential workers and are restricted by law from striking, but they have condemned the decision as being taken without consultation. The protests have forced hospitals to turn away patients and cancel procedures, with estimates suggesting that up to 8,000 trainee doctors have joined the strike.