On Friday, South Korea's Ministry of Health ordered 221 training hospitals to ban group leave and retain essential medical staff as interns decided to submit a mass resignation letter as part of a plan to increase the number of trainees.
The order comes hours after interns at five major general hospitals in Seoul decided to collectively submit their resignation letters on Monday, a move that is sure to intensify their strike threat over the program.
Park Min-so, the second deputy minister of health, told reporters that ** will "mobilize all necessary resources to protect people's lives and health".
Park said, "We will be steadfast in completing medical reform," and reaffirmed our commitment to take strict measures against any collective action by doctors that threaten patient safety.
According to the association, interns in five hospitals have also decided to go on strike at 6 a.m. next Tuesday.
Doctors warn that a massive strike and other reactions will be followed by a massive strike and other reactions after it was announced last week that it will add 2,000 medical school enrollment slots next year, a significant increase from the current 3,058 slots.
The five hospitals are Asan Hospital, Samsung Medical Center, Severance Hospital, Seoul National University Hospital, and Seoul St. Mary's Hospital.
As of midnight on Thursday, more than 150 doctors from seven other hospitals, including Wonkwang University Hospital, Gachon University Gi Medical Center, and Korea University Guro Hospital, have also submitted resignation letters, according to the Ministry of Health.