Police vow stern investigation into list of doctors opting out of collective walkout

Police pledged a stern investigation Thursday after a list was recently uploaded online of trainee doctors who opted out of the collective walkout protesting the government's medical school quota hike plan. According to medical circles, a list of trainee doctors was recently posted on an online community for doctors and medical students, claiming they did not join the mass walkout by fellow intern and resident doctors to protest the plan to increase the quota by 2,000 seats starting next year. The list included the trainee doctors' hospitals, names and schools, and was followed by derisive online comments. Police said that the acts of uploading nonparticipating trainee doctors' names or making threatening online comments constitute illegal obstruction of normal medical operations, and will be dealt with sternly according to the law and principles, the National Police Agency said. "For perpetrators of serious (crimes), an investigation under arrest will be sought," the agency said. Source: Yonhap News Ag ency