South Korea suspends the licenses of 2 senior doctors in first punitive steps over doctors’ walkouts

By HYUNG-JIN KIM
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean authorities have suspended the licenses of two senior doctors for allegedly inciting the weekslong walkouts by medical interns and residents that have disrupted hospital operations. That’s according to one of the doctors who spoke to The Associated Press. The suspensions are the government’s first punitive step against physicians after thousands of doctors-in-training walked off the job last month to protest the government’s plan to sharply increase medical school admissions. The two doctors also face police investigations that they allegedly incited and abetted the junior doctors’ walkouts. The government wants to add more doctors to prepare for South Korea’s rapidly aging population.