South Korea Medical Strike

South Korea said it would start notifying striking trainee doctors that their medical licenses would be suspended, as it moves to punish medics who have quit hospitals in protest at training reforms.

Thousands of junior doctors handed in their resignation notice and stopped working two weeks ago to protest against an increase in medical school admissions from next year which the government says is meant to help combat shortages and meet the demands of an aging society.

The striking trainees have defied a February 29 government deadline to return to work or face legal action, including possible arrest or suspension of their medical license.

The government has identified some 7,800 junior doctors who have defied the back to work order and officials will send them notifications of their pending license suspensions, Second Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo told a press conference.

"As soon as their violations of the back to work orders are confirmed, we will send out advance notice of administrative measures starting today," Park said, referring to the license suspension.

Despite the warning of suspension, striking junior doctors have not returned to work on any significant scale, government data shows.

The mass work stoppage has taken a toll on hospitals, with crucial treatments and surgeries canceled, prompting the government to raise its public health alert to the highest level.

Around half of the surgeries scheduled at some major hospitals have been canceled since last week, according to the health ministry.

Under South Korean law, doctors are restricted from striking, and the government has requested police investigate people connected to the stoppage.

They also argue that the reforms are the last straw in a profession where they already face challenging working conditions, including grueling hours in emergency rooms.