Gov¡¯t plans charges against doctors

With the decision by the nation¡¯s doctors to continue their strike, the government has decided, for the first time since the first in the series of such walkouts by the doctors, to charge and levy administrative punishments to the doctor`s clinics and hospitals that have closed in the face of orders to stay open.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare has formed and dispatched a 30-member task force, which completed Sunday the documentation including pictures of clinics and hospitals that have closed in violation of orders to remain open. The information gathered will be submitted for a hearing and then used as evidence to file charges.

The existing laws concerning medical practice could mean 15-day forced closures or up to one-year suspensions of licenses to practice should a doctor be found to have violated the order to remain open. A doctor who violates the suspension or closure could be criminally charged and pay up to a fine of 20 million won.

It has been revealed that about 18 or 19 hospitals and clinics have made the list for administrative punishment.

As the government already has issued orders to remain open, at the first of such walkouts in June, the clinics and hospitals currently up for reprimand may not find leniency.

Meanwhile, the doctors¡¯ "committee for regaining medical rights" has held meetings Saturday and Sunday to decide on the duration and the priority of the doctor`s positions, but only concluded to continue the walkout.

The "committee for regaining medical rights" has planned a mass gather of about 10,000 medical professionals including medical students for 11 a.m. Monday at Boramae Park in Seoul.

Song Sang-Keun shchung@donga.com