South Korean police raid office of incoming head of doctors’ group over protracted strikes

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean police said Friday they searched the office of the hard-line incoming leader of an association of doctors and confiscated his mobile phone as he faces accusations that he incited the protracted walkouts by thousands of medical interns and residents.

The development could further dim prospects for an early end to the strikes. The office of Lim Hyun-taek, who is to be inaugurated as head of the Korean Medical Association next week, called the raid politically motivated and questioned whether the government is sincere about its offer for dialogue to end the strikes.

Police said they sent officers to Lim’s office in Seoul and residence in the southern city of Asan on Friday to confiscate his mobile phone and other unspecified materials.

Lim is one of five former or incumbent Korean Medical Association officials who have been under police investigation for allegedly inciting and abetting the strikes. In mid-April, two of them had their medical licenses suspended by health authorities.

Lim’s office said in a statement that the police raid was “a clear retaliation and political suppression” of Lim. It said the government should have not orchestrated the raid if it truly wants talks.

More than 10,000 interns and residents at major university hospitals walked off the job in February in protest at the government’s plan to increase the country’s medical school enrollment quota by 2,000 starting next year, from the current cap of 3,058. Their walkouts have caused numerous cancellations and delays of surgeries and other medical treatment at their hospitals.

In the face of growing public calls to find a compromise to end the strikes, the government said last week it could adjust its plan by