The South Korean government has decided to open the door for foreign physicians to fill vacancies. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, May 10 (Korea Bizwire) – As the healthcare crisis stemming from the mass resignation of resident doctors stretches into its third month, the South Korean government has decided to open the door for foreign physicians to fill vacancies, officials said on May 9.
The move comes as the government braces for a potential prolonged disruption, with the admission quota for the 2025 academic year for medical schools set to be finalized by the end of this month, and no signs of resident doctors returning to their posts.
The foreign doctors eligible to practice in South Korea will likely include ethnic Koreans and Korean nationals who have graduated from overseas medical schools or obtained foreign licenses.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare is expected to announce a partial amendment to the enforcement rules of the Medical Service Act by May 20.
The revision stipulates that during a ‘serious’ healthcare crisis, such as the current medical vacuum caused by the resident doctors’ resignations, foreign medical license holders can perform healthcare support duties deemed necessary by the Minister of Health and Welfare.
With the minister’s approval, individuals holding foreign medical licenses will be allowed to provide medical services in South Korea.
As resident doctors have been absent from medical facilities for three months, demanding the cancellation of the planned increase in medical school admissions, the government has introduced this measure as a last resort to address the prolonged healthcare disruption.
In 2020, Semmelweis University, a prestigious institution in Hungary, boasted a significant presence of 253 Korean students within its medical school, comprising approximately 20 percent of the total student body. Following their completion of studies at this renowned Hungarian institution, these students are eligible to undertake the rigorous Korean national examination for medical practitioners. Notably, the demand for this pathway among Korean students is on the rise, evidenced by the increasing number of applications received each year. (Image from Semmelweis Univ. webpage)
Upon the completion of the legislative notice period, foreign license holders are expected to be able to practice medicine in South Korea as early as the end of this month.
They will be permitted to provide care under the supervision of domestic specialists at designated training hospitals, primarily major facilities hit hardest by the resident doctors’ departures, such as the so-called “Big 5″ hospitals in Seoul.
Under the guidance of local specialists, their duties are likely to include assisting in surgeries and consultations, staffing emergency rooms, and handling on-call shifts – tasks previously undertaken by resident doctors.
While the revised regulations will allow foreign doctors to practice in South Korea after government screening, concerns remain over potential language barriers.
In response, the government has stated that it will assess the medical competencies of foreign doctors before allowing them to practice.
“We will only approve medical practice for foreign doctors if they possess adequate clinical capabilities to ensure patient safety,” a Health Ministry official said.
The government’s decision to allow foreign doctors to practice in South Korea is likely to exacerbate the ongoing conflict between the administration and the medical community.
Doctors have collectively criticized the measure, arguing that it will significantly undermine the country’s medical standards.
Noh Hwan-kyu, a former president of the Korean Medical Association (KMA), wrote on Facebook: “Singapore only allows graduates from Seoul National University College of Medicine and Yonsei University College of Medicine to take its medical licensing examination, imposing strict conditions. In Japan, regardless of the medical school of origin, candidates must pass both a language proficiency test and a medical licensing examination to obtain a license.”
A hospital unable to provide medical treatment due to shortage of staff (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
He added, “Nearly all countries around the world maintain such stringent systems to protect the lives of their citizens, which is only natural.”
“The government destroyed the domestic medical system within about 80 days through its policy of increasing medical school admissions,” said Lim Hyun-taek, the current KMA president. He added, “Korean medicine is so advanced that even foreigners come here to learn, yet now the government wants to bring in subpar medical personnel instead of relying on skilled Korean doctors.”
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
