SEOUL — The prolonged strike by trainee doctors is projected to cost two major municipal hospitals in Seoul nearly 100 billion won ($71.89 million) in losses this year, city officials reported on Sunday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Seoul Medical Center and Boramae Medical Center are expected to incur combined losses of 89.7 billion won if the ongoing doctors' strike continues until year's end. The walkout, which began in late February, is a protest against the government's decision to increase medical school admissions quotas, a policy intended to address the country's doctor shortage. This strike has significantly reduced hospital operations, with bed usage and outpatient visits dropping considerably at both facilities.
In response to the crisis, the city government has allocated 45.6 billion won to mitigate the impact of the service disruptions. "The decision to inject the city budget was inevitable to ensure that they provide necessary medical services for citizens. We will work hard to persuade trainee doctors to end their strike," stated a city official. Despite these efforts and the contentious nature of the admissions quota increase—the first in 27 years—opposition from within the medical community remains strong.