의협 집단휴진 후 여의도에서 집회... 개인 병원 의사들도 합세<br /><br />Around 130-thousand doctors went on a strike and about a third of the local medical clinics in South Korea didn't open for business today protesting the government's proposed healthcare reform plans which include increasing admission quotas at medical schools.<br />Our Kim Do-yeon reports.<br />In response to the government's proposed healthcare reform plans, doctors across the nation went on strike for a second time on Friday and some even took to the streets to voice their opinion.<br />There were more than 10 thousand doctors at this Friday's rally, including interns and residents from all across the country.<br /> “The doctors ended the rally by marching to the Democratic party headquarters, chanting they won’t back down. So many joined they exceeded the space they had reserved for the rally.”<br />Doctors are opposing four key topics.<br />An expansion to the medical student quota, the establishment of public medical schools, the inclusion of oriental medicine, and the development of non-contact diagnosis.<br />It is believed that the government's policies are not the right way to approach the issue of providing high quality medical care to those in medically-neglected areas.<br />Instead, they said the government doesn't know anything about the industry.<br />"The government didn't spend even a dime to help us buy textbooks, but now they see us as public property. Seeing their attitude...thinking we're just expendable, I am sure this is just the beginning to their destruction of our healthcare system."<br />This time around, doctors from local clinics joined the strike with around a quarter reporting closures on Friday.<br />While this isn't a large percentage, it caused inconveniences for people seeking urgent care.<br />"I came here to get help because I have a swollen eye. I even used some of my vacation days to come."<br />Those who discovered that their local clinics were closed had to go to emergency rooms at major hospitals.<br />The Korean Medical Association had promised that emergency rooms and medical services that directly affect the lives of patients would not close.<br />The government has been asking the KMA for talks and urging them to cancel the strikes, but the two are yet to come together for negotiations.<br />Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News<br />
