Correspondence

The South Korean makes many hospitals financially 1 National Health Service England. Hospital
outpatient activity 2021–22. https://digital.
inoperable.
health-care system in Second, health-care providers in
nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/
statistical/hospital-outpatient-
crisis South Korea face disproportionately activity/2021-22 (accessed June 4, 2024).
2 Organization for Economic Co-operation and
high rates of criminal charges for Development (OCED). Avoidable mortality.
South Korea, where virtually medical errors. From 2013 to 2018, https://stats.oecd.org/index.
aspx?queryid=96018 (accessed April 17, 2024).
all citizens are members of the the rate of such criminal charges for
3 Heejin S. Should I get re-employed as a retired
National Health Insurance Service South Korean physicians has been major or general doctor? Government “actively
(NHIS), has established high-quality about 15 times higher than Japan considering receiving resignations”. 2024.
https://www.mk.co.kr/en/it/11032626
health-care structures with easy and a staggering 566 times higher (accessed June 4, 2024).
access to physicians and very low than the UK.5 In 2020, four infants 4 Kang YS. More than 9,000 trainee doctors
insurance premiums. Health-care unfortunately died in the neonatal leave worksites as concerns over public health
deepen. https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN202402
outcomes such as low avoidable intensive care unit at a very busy 26000851320 (accessed April 17, 2024).
mortality (99 per 100 000 people university hospital in Seoul. Two 5 Korean Medical Association Medical Policy
for South Korea, compared with physicians and a nurse were jailed Research Institute. Current status and
implications of criminalization of medical
200 per 100 000 for the UK) and for malpractice and put on trial with practice. Nov 9, 2022. https://rihp.re.kr/bbs/
high rates of outpatient clinic visits criminal charges.6 Although acquitted board.php?bo_table=research_report&wr_
id=338&page=2 (accessed March 3, 2024).
(14·7 per person per year for South by the Supreme Court, the shocking 6 Jeong, C. The devil is in detail: critical
Korea, compared with 1·7 per person case alerted young physicians to avoid considerations for Korean health care practice
in future. Life, Ethics Policy 2022; 6: 71–100 (in
per year for England, UK)1 reflect the high-risk specialties. Korean).
system’s effectiveness and efficiency,2 To resigning young doctors, the 7 Shin, E. Government “restricts the profession
hence becoming a role model to many South Korean Government imposed of medical residents for the public good” vs.
medical community “violent behavior must
other countries. its administrative and judiciary stop”. Feb 27, 2024. https://m.health.chosun.
In February, 2024, the South Korean power by custodial investigation and com/svc/news_view.tml?contid=202402270
2655 (accessed March 3, 2024; in Korean).
Government announced that it will threatening to suspend their medical
increase the number of physicians by licence if they remain resigned.
2000 per year starting in 2025, which The Government also claims that
corresponds to a 67% increase from physicians have no legal rights to Surge in physician
the current 3058 graduates. This rise resign and states that it can limit the
in physician numbers will be achieved constitutional freedom of occupation
violence in Nepal
by increasing the intake of medical for physicians given current In the study by Adhikari and
students. Almost immediately, circumstances.7 colleagues, researchers found the
approximately 9000 (71%) medical The current protest by young South prevalence of workplace violence
residents and fellows resigned and, Korean physicians is a desperate call to be 62·9% among Nepal Medical
as of May 30, 2024, 9630 (92%) to reorganise the fundamentally Council certified physicians working
residents remain resigned. 3,4 The flawed health-care reimbursement in Nepal—a substantially high rate
underlying motivation of the current system and regain physicians’ basic compared with data worldwide. 1
protests goes well beyond increasing rights and safety. The well-oiled The violent activities include, but are
the number of physicians—it stems health-care system that the South not limited to, telephonic threats,
from serious unresolved flaws of the Korean Government has implemented intimidation, verbal abuse, physical
South Korean health-care system. is about to end unless drastic but non-injurious assault, physical
First, the current nationwide reformation takes place. assault causing simple or grievous
turmoil started from extremely low We declare no competing interests. injury, murder, vandalism, and arson.
reimbursement rates. On average, a The consequences of violence lead
*Joo Heung Yoon, In Ho Kwon,
South Korean citizen pays £1·82 as Hyoung Wook Park to psychological issues, such as
a copay per primary clinic visit, and [email protected] depression, insomnia, post-traumatic
approximately £6·70 is reimbursed stress, fear, and anxiety, leading to
Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and
by the NHIS. The cost of an intubation Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University absenteeism.2
procedure in the emergency depart­ of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA (JHY); At the 74th World Medical
ment is about £31, including a copay Department of Emergency Medicine, Dong-A Association (WMA) General Assembly
University College of Medicine, Busan, South Korea
of £6. The intensive care unit gets (IHK); Department of Social Medicine, Dankook in October, 2023, in Kigali, Rwanda, Submissions should be
made via our electronic
reimbursed approximately 60% of the University College of Medicine, Cheon-An, South the WMA showed deep concern submission system at
resources used, leaving hospitals with Korea (HWP); The Korean Academy of Medical at the increasing rate of violence http://ees.elsevier.com/
Sciences, Seoul, South Korea (HWP)
a 40% loss. This low reimbursement against health-care professionals thelancet/

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