Seoul: The South Korean government is set to lift the nation's top-level "serious" health crisis alert next week. This alert was initially issued early last year following the mass resignation of trainee doctors, which led to significant disruptions in hospital operations. The decision to lift the alert comes as the health ministry reports that hospital operations have now stabilized.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the highest-level alert had been in place since February 23 of the previous year. This was in response to thousands of trainee doctors walking off the job in protest against a proposed plan to increase medical school enrollment by 2,000, bringing the total to nearly 5,000 starting this year. However, this plan has since been abandoned, and the 2026 quota has been reverted to its previous level of about 3,000.
Health Minister Jeong Eun-kyeong, speaking at a meeting of government officials in Seoul, stated, "The government has resumed dialogue with the medical community since the launch of the new administration and has worked together to restore medical services and emergency care capabilities to nearly pre-crisis levels."
With the lifting of the alert, the government will also cease the operation of an emergency medical system. This system had been utilizing approximately 200 billion won (US$143 million) a month from the national health insurance fund to temporarily raise medical fees and maintain essential services.