VOA新闻杂志2024--S. Korean Hospitals Turn Away Patients as Doctors Protest

S. Korean Hospitals Turn Away Patients as Doctors Protest

South Korea's biggest hospitals canceled medical procedures and turned away patients seeking emergency care on Wednesday. The moves came after thousands of trainee¹ doctors walked off the job to protest a government plan to increase the number of people admitted to medical school.

One hospital, the Asan Medical Center in Seoul, had a sign saying its emergency division was only taking heart attack cases. The emergency departments at four other major hospitals were also on "red alert." That means they did not have room for more patients.

"It is so frustrating² that the resident doctors' strike is happening now," the brother of a cancer patient told the newspaper JoongAng Ilbo. He added that he and his brother had spent 10 hours looking for a hospital bed.

The health ministry³ says 7,813 doctors have walked out of their jobs since protests began this week. The doctors object to a plan by the government to increase the number of medical students. The plan aims to bring more health workers to rural areas and meet the demands of one of the world's most quickly aging societies.

The government wants to increase the number of medical students from 3,000 to 5,000 by the 2025 school year. It aims to add up to 10,000 more by 2035.

The protesters, however, say South Korea has enough doctors. They say the government needs to improve the pay and working conditions of doctors before increasing the number of medical students.

South Korea's population of 52 million had 2.6 doctors per 1,000 people in 2022. Those numbers are far below the average of 3.7 doctors per 1,000 people for developed countries in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Public opinion studies in South Korea show many Koreans support the government plan. Last week, a Gallup Korea study said about 76 percent of South Koreans back the government's plan to increase the number of medical students.

One group taking part in the protest called the plan a political measure ahead of a general election in April.

"We couldn't just sit back and watch medical policies built only for the sake of winning the general election," the Korea Interns⁴ and Residents Association said in a statement.

Local media said between one-third and half of scheduled surgeries at five major hospitals have been canceled due to the walkout.

The protests have continued despite a government order for the doctors to return to work.

Vice⁵ Health Minister Park Min-soo told reporters, "The basic calling of medical professionals is to protect the health and lives of the people, and any group action that threatens that cannot be justified⁶."

Safety Minister Lee Sang-min later threatened the protest leaders with possible arrest.

"The police and the prosecutors⁸' office will consult and take measures against any group or individuals who are leading collective action, including arrest and investigation," he said.

Words in This Story

frustrating - adj. causing feeling of anger and annoyance⁹

resident - n. a doctor in training

society - n. people in a particular country

for the sake of - phrase, out of consideration or regard

prosecutor⁷ - n. a lawyer who represents the government or the side accusing someone of a crime

consult - v. look for information

1 trainee   

n.受训练者

参考例句：

• The trainee checked out all right on his first flight.受训者第一次飞行完全合格。
• Few of the trainee footballers make it to the top.足球受训人员中没有几个能达到顶级水平。

2 frustrating   

adj.产生挫折的，使人沮丧的，令人泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的现在分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's frustrating to have to wait so long. 要等这么长时间，真令人懊恼。
• It was a demeaning and ultimately frustrating experience. 那是一次有失颜面并且令人沮丧至极的经历。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

4 interns   

n.住院实习医生( intern的名词复数 )v.拘留，关押( intern的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Our interns also greet our guests when they arrive in our studios. 我们的实习生也会在嘉宾抵达演播室的时候向他们致以问候。 来自超越目标英语 第4册
• The interns work alongside experienced civil engineers and receive training in the different work sectors. 实习生陪同有经验的国内工程师工作，接受不同工作部门的相关培训。 来自超越目标英语 第4册

5 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

6 justified   

a.正当的，有理的

参考例句：

• She felt fully justified in asking for her money back. 她认为有充分的理由要求退款。
• The prisoner has certainly justified his claims by his actions. 那个囚犯确实已用自己的行动表明他的要求是正当的。

7 prosecutor   

n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人

参考例句：

• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
• The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。

8 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

9 annoyance   

n.恼怒，生气，烦恼

参考例句：

• Why do you always take your annoyance out on me?为什么你不高兴时总是对我出气？
• I felt annoyance at being teased.我恼恨别人取笑我。