The return of residents is gaining momentum, but the military issue has yet to find a solution. Residents hope to delay their enlistment or continue their training at their original hospitals after military service, but there are criticisms of excessive favoritism.
The Korean Association of Resident Doctors (KAR) will meet in private with the National Training Hospital Association around 4 p.m. on the 15th to discuss this matter related to the return of residents. This gathering, organized by the Korean Medical Association Organization, aims to find a solution that allows residents to continue their training upon their return.
Residents are reportedly demanding additional qualifications exams, alleviation of legal risks related to medical accidents, and matters concerning military service. Residents resigned amid the conflict with the medical community and automatically became subject to enlistment. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, this year, 3,300 residents are subject to enlistment, of which 880 have enlisted. The remaining 2,420 must enlist sequentially by 2028.
Residents typically postpone enlistment until they become specialists. After completing training in hospitals, they enlist as medical officers or public health officers every March for 37 to 38 months. Due to the conflict with the medical community, residents left their training hospitals and automatically became eligible for enlistment, making the discussion of their return in September a pressing issue.
Residents currently waiting for enlistment must enter the military at the scheduled time, even if they return to the hospital for training. Although residents request a delay in enlistment, the Ministry of Health and Welfare's position is that they will not review enlistment exceptions this time.
A Ministry of Health and Welfare official stated, "Once a resident submits a resignation, they can enlist at any time, and returning to the hospital does not automatically resolve the enlistment waiting state," and added, "We are not currently discussing enlistment delays with the Ministry of National Defense or the Military Manpower Administration."
Residents who have already enlisted amid the conflict with the medical community can complete their service and continue their training. However, they express concerns that there may not be positions available at their original hospitals or departments after discharge. They are demanding to be allowed to train in the "same positions" after returning.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare proposed an alternative. According to the ministry, if there are no openings in the hospital where they worked before joining the military, they can apply to a different training hospital in the same department. If it’s the same department, the previous training period will be recognized. If there are also no desired positions in other hospitals, they can apply to the next recruitment announcement.
However, this will delay the training process and postpone the time it takes to become a specialist. There is no guarantee of a position at the same hospital. An official from the Ministry of Health and Welfare stated, "It is also possible to change departments when applying, but in this case, the previous training period will not be recognized, and they will have to start the residency training anew from the beginning."
Earlier, some residents demanded additional qualification exams. Senior residents take exams to become specialists at the beginning of each year. However, the senior residents returning this time do not have enough training time to take the specialist exam early next year and will need to take the exam in 2027. Some requested to be able to take an additional specialist exam around next August. However, adding a specialist exam would require separate time and expenses.
Patient and citizen groups argued that residents should not receive special favors. The Korean Patient Organization Federation stated, "Residents must return unconditionally," adding that "the government and National Assembly should not implement preferential measures." They further remarked, "If residents who did not return until the end expect to be favored by the government's preferential measures, it goes against justice and common sense." The Economic Justice Action Civic Union also stated, "Apologize to the public and patients and return unconditionally."