As per reports, workers and doctors at Seoul National University Hospital will go on an indefinite strike from 31 October.

• The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on Thursday (24 October) that it has selected eight institutions to launch a new program. This initiative aims for general hospitals to concentrate more on treating critically ill patients while referring those with mild symptoms to local hospitals.
• The government seeks to increase the percentage of critically ill cases treated at general hospitals from the current estimate of 50 percent to 70 percent through this program. The selected hospitals will receive higher compensation for treating patients with critical or rare conditions.
• This initiative is part of broader efforts to address the ongoing medical vacuum resulting from the mass resignation of thousands of trainee doctors since February, in protest of the government’s plan to increase the number of medical school students.
• The health ministry stated that this project allows large and smaller hospitals to pursue shared growth rather than competition, ensuring that patients receive treatment from the most appropriate facilities.
• In conjunction with this initiative, the government reiterated its call for the medical community to engage in unconditional talks to resolve the prolonged walkout by trainee doctors. Second Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo emphasized that “dialogue and communication are the first steps to rebuilding trust and the most effective way to tackle ongoing challenges.”
• The Korea Medical Association has demanded the government abandon its plan to increase medical school seats before it agrees to engage in any form of dialogue. Key medical organizations, including the Korean Medical Association and the Korean Association of Medical Schools and Graduate Schools, have indicated a willingness to participate in discussions, but only under specific conditions—primarily the approval of leave of absence requests from medical students.