Seoul, South Korea - July 4, 2024

Storyline:
Hundreds of patients in South Korea on Thursday staged a protest urging physicians to halt a prolonged strike that has affected public health services.

Starting from February, thousands of medical trainees ceased work in protest against government proposals to expand medical school admissions, arguing that this would compromise the quality of specialist education.

With no solution in sight, patients are now demanding the two sides quickly come to a compromise, saying lives are at stake.

Park Soon-ja is a breast cancer patient and survivor. But she isn't at a hospital receiving the treatment she needs. Rather, she has taken to the streets in a fight to sustain her health and prolong her life.

Park is one of hundreds of patients protesting the on-going stalemate between the government and the nation's medical workers. The protest by patients is unprecedented. Never before have such groups needed to stage an organized rally like this.

The patients demand doctors end their walkout immediately and return to work. They also want the government and lawmakers to ensure that this sort of breakdown of healthcare never occurs again.

With the doctors' strike entering into its fifth month, several hospitals have even threatened to take more stringent action – like suspending operations indefinitely in the coming days and weeks.

Shotlist:
Seoul, South Korea - July 4, 2024:
1. Various of protesters holding placard;
2. SOUNDBITE (Korean, dubbed with English) Park Soon-ja, cancer patient:
"I'm a cancer patient and I need to undergo regular tests. But everything keeps getting delayed because the doctors are not available. All I want is to receive the treatment I need at the scheduled time.";
3. Various of protesters holding placard;
4. SOUNDBITE (Korean, dubbed with English) Kwak Jeom-soon, breast cancer patient:
"I stand with you today requesting parliament to revise medical laws to prevent any collective action that threatens people's lives and causes patients' anxiety.";
5. Various of protesters holding placard;
6. Protesters applauding;
7. Lady speaking;
8. Various of protesters;
9. SOUNDBITE (Korean, dubbed with English) Park Soon-ja, cancer patient:
"It's not just my primary care doctor. There's radiology and many other departments. Those people have all walked away, and I'm not in a situation to go to the emergency room. Cancer patients can't go to the E.R.";
10. Various of protesters.

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