정부 "오전 8시 수도권 전공의•전임의에 업무개시명령 발동"<br /><br />Now to the developing story on the push and pull between the doctors association and the South Korean government.<br />With the doctors proceeding with their planned nationwide strike starting today,… the South Korean government has given the doctors an ultimatum.<br />The government says if doctors don't return to work, they will be held legally responsible.<br />For more on this fluid situation,… we have our Kim Do-yeon standing by at one of the major hospitals in Seoul.<br />Do-yeon, the government gave another announcement this morning tell us more.<br />Mark, yes,... it did.<br />Just a couple of hours ago health minister Park Neung-hoo imposed an order on all doctors especially those in Seoul Metropolitan area to return to work ASAP.<br />And if they don't, he said the country has no option to pursue judiciary proceedings.<br />"The current legislation punishes those against the order with up to 3 years in prison or up to 25,000 U.S. dollars in fines, or a cancellation or suspension of their medical license."<br />Such a hardline stance from the government comes as the nation has been seeing a large number of new COVID-19 cases and the government says that the country cannot afford to have doctors away from their workplaces.<br />This comes despite the doctors association and trainee doctors association having rounds of discussions with the government until early this morning.<br />The doctors are against the government's reform plan, which includes upping admission quotas at med schools to recruit an additional 4-thousand doctors over the next decade.<br />Doctors claim it's the country’s bad healthcare policies,… NOT the shortage of doctors,… that have caused the problems in provincial areas.<br />So Doyeon how have hospitals prepared for this?<br />Why don't we begin with the hospital where you're reporting from?<br />Mark, that's right.<br />Here, at Seoul National University Hospital,... some 510 of the 620 interns and residents have been on strike since last week.<br />And more than 200 fellows and professor level doctors have joined in starting today.<br />However, that was until this morning, and at 8 AM, the government issued an order to have those that work in the Seoul metropolitan area return to their hospitals... so we will have to see how those doctors react.<br />In addition to major hospitals, local hospitals are planning to join the strike starting today.<br />Medical students up for the license exam have also canceled their registration in protest.<br />That's all I have for you at this hour.<br />Back to you, Mark<br />
