(LEAD) Doctors stage candlelight vigils in protest of medical reform plan

South Korea's largest doctors' organization held candlelight vigils nationwide Thursday, as the government effectively finalized its plan to increase the number of medical school admissions starting next year. The Korea Medical Association (KMA) said it held candlelight vigils at six locations across the country, including Seoul and the southeastern port city of Busan, where participants condemned the government's medical reform plan. The move comes about a week after the Korean Council for University Education confirmed a hike in next year's medical school admission quota, marking the first such increase in 27 ears. Doctors take part in a candlelight vigil in Busan, 320 kilometers southeast of Seoul, to protest the government's medical reform plan on May 30, 2024. (Yonhap) During the rally in Seoul, the KMA played video messages from patients' guardians addressed to the president and responded to questions submitted by citizens. About 12,000 trainee doctors have remained off the job since Feb. 20 in pro test of the plan to raise the medical school admissions quota by 2,000, causing disruptions at general hospitals and emergency rooms. Amid media reports that the KMA may announce an all-out strike of doctors, including those from local clinics, officials from the organization have stated that nothing has been decided on the matter. Pundits predict that even if the KMA declares an all-out strike, the number of doctors actually participating may be limited, given that most members run private clinics. The health ministry, meanwhile, noted that it will closely monitor the scheduled rallies, including the possibility of an all-out strike. Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong also renewed the call for junior doctors to return to their hospitals, noting the government will make efforts to improve their working environment. "The government intends to make the best efforts to minimize penalties on junior doctors returning to their worksites," Cho added. Source: Yonhap News Agency