The government said that it will push for the quick implementation of emergency measures to prevent public inconvenience and anxiety from increasing due to the prolonged collective action by trainee doctors.

The government announced the plan on Thursday during a meeting on responses to the doctors’ collective action. 

The Cabinet on Wednesday approved the use of 128-point-five billion won from state reserve funds for the hiring of medical staff and the implementation of various measures to minimize medical service disruptions. Using these funds, the government plans to hire new personnel to fill the medical vacuum left by the trainee doctors. 

In addition, the government decided to use local governments’ disaster management funds to support labor costs for personnel at public medical institutions.

The government also said that it will devise ways to raise fees for emergency and difficult surgeries and swiftly introduce legislation to improve legal protection for doctors against medical malpractice lawsuits.