Seoul, South Korea - June 18, 2024

Storyline:
South Korea's largest lobby group for doctors held a one-day walkout Tuesday as part of a protracted strike against the government's plan to boost medical school admissions.

Thousands of medical practitioners from the Korean Medical Association gathered in Seoul, protesting against government plans to increase annual medical school admissions and potentially penalize hospital interns who have been on strike since February.

The government says more doctors need to be trained to deal with a dire shortage of practitioners, especially in rural areas.

The Korean Medical Association says the move will lead to lower pay and reduced training standards.

However, there is growing division amongst the medical community.

Obstetricians, pediatricians, specialists in epilepsy and even a major hospital workers union have refused to join the walkouts. But that doesn't mean South Korea's healthcare crisis will end soon.

South Korean officials have issued return-to-work orders for doctors participating in the one-day walkout.

Since February, thousands of South Korean trainee doctors have been on strike in a deepening standoff with the government, which plans to significantly increase the country's number of doctors by 2035. Many reject the plan, saying that schools will not be able to handle the increased flow and that the quality of the country's medical services would suffer.

Shotlist:
Seoul, South Korea - June 18, 2024:
1. Various of rally against government's medical policy, participants'
2. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Lim Hyun-taek, president, Korean Medical Association (starting with shot 1):
"The government should respect trainee doctors and all doctors in this land as life-saving experts, not slaves, and listen to their voices.";
3. Various of performance at rally;
4. Participants at rally;
5. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Kim Kyung-ho, director, Korean Medical Association (starting with shot 4):
"We have gathered here against the government who are manipulating the medical system. We have gathered here to express our anger and show our unified will to all Koreans living and breathing in this land.";
6. Various of rally in progress;
7. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Chae Dong-young, deputy spokesman, Korean Medical Association (starting with shot 6):
"If the government does not show the right attitude, the situation for medical resident doctors could go on for more than a year.";
Seoul, South Korea - June 18, 2024
8. Various of participants at rally;
9. Hospital building;
10. Various of empty hospital;
11. Various of medical workers at work.

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