Prime minister urges doctors to drop planned walkout

SEOUL, March 12 (Yonhap) -- Prime Minister Chung Hong-won called on doctors Wednesday to scrap their plan to strike later this month in protest of the government's medical policy and come to the negotiating table to iron out differences.

Doctors across the nation staged a one-day strike on Monday in protest of the government's plans to introduce a new system of telemedicine and allow hospitals to set up for-profit subsidiaries, partly causing inconveniences to patients.

The Korean Medical Association also vowed to stage another round of strikes for six days starting on March 24, raising concerns over possible inconveniences and dangers to the public.

"Doctors should drop their plan to go on strike and come to the bargaining table with the government to ease public jitters," Chung said in a public statement.

"The government will discuss the best options for the public health and the doctors' demands (with the medical association) until March 20, and let the people know the details," Chung added.

He expressed regret over the planned action. "It is very regretful that the doctors' association pushed to launch an illegal strike, causing the public concern and inconvenience."

Pointing to an agreement reached between the government and the association about the new medical system after rounds of negotiations, Chung said it is "hard to understand their about-face."

Doctors argue that the government's plan will accelerate their management woes and undermine public health.

But the government says the new telemedicine system aims to offer benefits to the elderly, the disabled and patients in remote areas, along with people with chronic diseases.

"We've stressed that we will strive not to have the new telemedical system hurt local clinics," Chung said. "We will push the new measures in a way to promote the public health and to revitalize small local hospitals."