The nation's medical professors have warned of an imminent collapse of the emergency medical system.
 
In a statement on Monday, the Medical Professors Association of Korea said many emergency rooms across the country have stopped normal operations, contrary to the government's claims, and stressed that the public's rights to health and life are under serious threat.

The professors said, as of Sunday, out of 57 university hospital emergency rooms nationwide, 14 were unable to handle childbirth, 16 had limited capacity for thoracic aortic surgery, and 24 could not perform operations for pediatric bowel obstruction.

They said eight hospitals have either shut down their emergency rooms or are planning to do so, and that additional hospitals could restrict or halt such services around the Chuseok Thanksgiving holiday in mid-September.

Urging President Yoon Suk Yeol to put forth a resolution, the group stressed that holding those responsible for the collapse of the medical system accountable and suspending the expansion of the medical school admissions quota were the only paths to restoring stability.