Gov't to import foreign doctors in move medical association brands ‘insane’

Two medical professionals walk into a general hospital in downtown Seoul on Wednesday. [NEWS1]

The government is lowering the hurdles to bring in doctors with foreign-issued medical licenses, aiming to expand a utilizable labor pool to prepare for a long-term medical void.

The Health Ministry on Thursday said it is set to legislate a provision that allows doctors holding foreign licenses to treat patients in domestic hospitals upon the minister’s permission.

The new measure appears to be an attempt to fill the labor vacuum left by striking doctors, considering foreign doctors as replacements for doctors who left hospitals.

The ministry said the measure is “to save people’s lives and protect public health” by allowing foreign doctors to serve in hospitals when the country is in a “medical crisis caused by health care staffing shortages.”

Foreign-trained doctors will be eligible to treat patients when a medical crisis reaches the topmost “serious” level as the status quo. Their servicing scope will be limited to fields where the ministry deems their support is needed.

The government adjusted the crisis level on its four-tier system, moving from its third highest level, “alert,” to the highest level, “serious,” on Feb 23.

The ministry's amendment request will be filed with the National Assembly by May 20.

The country’s largest doctors’ group, the Korean Medical Association (KMA), condemned the government’s plan to source foreign-trained doctors, saying such a policy is “insane” and “placing Korean patients on a test bed as experimental subjects.”

Lim Hyun-taek, president of the KMA, told Yonhap News Agency that the "government has destroyed the Korean medical industry and system within approximately 80 days."

Lim also noted that bringing in foreign-trained doctors could undermine the quality of medical services in Korea, which used to have the world’s best health care services.

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]