Health minister Cho Kyoo-hong said on Monday that he believes emergency rooms can maintain medical care despite current difficulties.

Appearing on a radio show on Monday morning, the minister shared this assessment when asked about the current state of emergency rooms nationwide.  

The minister said the problems are not limited to emergency rooms but also to ongoing medical care needed after treatment, which he believes could be resolved through medical reform. 

Cho said that the planned strike by healthcare workers was canceled and that the surge in COVID-19 cases has begun to slow down, adding that the government is doing its best to maintain the emergency medical care system. 

While acknowledging criticism that raising fees for essential medical care is not the solution, the minister stressed that the most critical issue is the shortage of doctors, and that the government is taking steps, such as deploying military or public doctors to hospitals.

The health ministry plans to hold a daily briefing on the situation in emergency rooms starting Monday.