South Korean Trainee Doctors Stage Walkout Over Medical School Quotas

Over 1,600 trainee doctors in South Korea's major hospitals staged a walkout to protest against a government plan to increase medical school admissions, leading to fears of delays in surgical operations and patient treatment. The government aims to add 2,000 more medical school spots by 2025 and 10,000 by 2035 to improve healthcare access in remote areas and develop advanced technologies. Despite government orders to stay at work, about 6,400 doctors and interns at large hospitals handed in resignations, prompting concerns about patient care and surgical schedules. The move has sparked a debate between the government, which argues for the need for more doctors, and medical professionals who believe there are already enough physicians and worry about the potential negative impact of increasing their numbers.