Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun has urged doctors on a walkout in the greater Seoul area to immediately return to work in accordance with the government’s return-to-work order. 

Chung made the call on Wednesday when he chaired a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters as tens of thousands of doctors began a three-day nationwide strike earlier in the day. 

He said the people will not, by any means, tolerate a collective action that puts the lives of patients at risk. 

Chung’s remarks came a few hours after the Health and Welfare Ministry issued the return-to-work order at 8 a.m. to interns, residents and doctors on strike in Seoul, Gyeonggi and Incheon. 

On the COVID-19 situation, the prime minister said the government will have to consider raising social distancing to Level Three if no improvements are made.  

He said the nation’s quarantine efforts are facing their worst crisis since the first COVID-19 patient was reported seven months ago, stressing that the quarantine system is nearing its capacity.