Chuseok comes amid ”medical confusion” as anxiety grows among South Koreans

South Korea celebrated its mid-autumn festival, Chuseok, on the 17th. Some people are taking consecutive holidays around this date. However, there are concerns about the emergency medical system during the holidays.
The concern is growing more than usual. The medical community has reacted strongly to the South Korean government's announcement of an increase in the number of university medical school students, leading to mass resignations of trainees and a shortage of doctors at large hospitals.
The government has designated the period before and after the mid-autumn celebration holiday as "Emergency Response Week for Lifesaving Emergency Medicine." It says it will take maximum measures to ensure that emergency patient care is not disrupted, but the public's anxiety remains.
In South Korea, the shortage of doctors is a serious problem, especially in rural areas, and the South Korean government announced in February this year that it would increase the number of admissions to medical schools by 2,000 from the 2025 entrance exam.
In 1998, the number was increased to 3,507, but was reduced to 3,058 in 2006, and has remained at 3,058 every year since. The Yun Seok-yeol administration has been promoting the government's "protection of the health and lives of the people" policy.
The government has called for an increase in the number of doctors, saying that the number of doctors in Japan is now a contemporary issue that cannot be delayed any longer. However, the medical community has opposed this policy.
The government pointed out that the cause was a shortage of doctors in so-called "essential medical departments," such as surgery and obstetrics and gynecology. As soon as the government's policy was announced, the medical community showed its intention to protest, with trainee doctors resigning en masse.
In large hospitals, interns are essential personnel for the smooth operation of medical care, but mass turnover has led to a shortage of staff, leading to the postponement of scheduled surgeries and restrictions on the acceptance of new patients.
As a result, small and medium-sized hospitals were inundated with patients, and there were many cases of patients with minor symptoms who could not find a hospital calling for ambulances, causing widespread damage.
The government took administrative action against interns who left their workplaces in protest, such as suspending their medical licenses, but in July it retracted the action and encouraged them to return to work. However, not many interns have returned, and the current situation in the workplace is
In order to quickly resolve this confusion, the government is trying to set up a four-way consultation body consisting of the ruling and opposition parties and the medical community. On the 13th, the Korean Medical Association expressed its dissatisfaction with the government's stance.
As things have not changed, the government has stated that it will not participate in the program. During the mid-autumn celebration holidays, hospitals also close their outpatient clinics, which usually leads to an increase in patients visiting emergency medical centers.
The mid-autumn celebration holiday comes at a time when many interns have left their jobs and hospitals are facing a shortage of doctors, raising concerns about further confusion in the medical field.
The government designated the week "Response Week." In 25 emergency medical centers where medical treatment was likely to be affected, a person in charge of the Health and Welfare Department was assigned to monitor and report on the situation on the ground, and manpower was increased.
Military doctors were sent to hospitals where operations were being hindered by a shortage of staff. In addition, to show some appreciation for the dedication of medical personnel, the medical insurance company temporarily increased medical fees paid to medical institutions during the week.
However, public concerns have not been allayed. Some people have refrained from family gatherings due to concerns about medical confusion during the holidays.
According to the outlet, 38-year-old A, who is taking care of his father who has lung cancer, told the outlet, "For this mid-autumn celebration, I decided not to get together with my family. I also didn't go out to play anywhere. I just stayed at home.
"I have a cancer patient, so if he were to catch a cold in a crowded place, it would be really tough," she said. "This year's mid-autumn celebration holidays are very long (up to nine days in a row), so if something were to happen to my father during that time, I would have to call in an emergency room.
In an editorial dated the 14th, the South Korean newspaper Hankyoreh said, "Without providing any proper justification, the government is pushing ahead with an increase of 2,000 students in medical school enrollment.
"But he has not been able to get around to creating any real countermeasures," he said, criticizing President Yoon.