he health ministry announced a decision Tuesday to extend financial support for hospitals struggling with staff shortages to have them hire 400 medical staff members to ease deepening concerns about a health care crisis.

Hospitals have been forced to cut back on surgeries, outpatient treatment services, and emergency room operations, as a majority of trainee doctors have left their workplaces since February in protest of the government’s plan to drastically increase the medical school admissions quota.

Concerns have mounted over further medical service disruptions ahead of the Chuseok holiday.

“The government will swiftly provide funds to hospitals to have them hire 400 new doctors, nurses and other medical staff,” senior ministry official Jung Yoon-soon told a press briefing.

Source: Yonhap News Agency