|
Doctors account for more than half of those applying for court handouts to write off outstanding debts. An increasing number of medical practitioners cannot recover the cost of starting a business in an increasingly competitive field.
According to the Seoul Central District Court, the number of applicants for the individual debtor rehabilitation procedure with debts of over W500 million (or collateralized debt of W1 billion) totaled 57 from January through October, almost doubling compared to last year when the number stood at 30 (US$1=W1,325). In October alone, 13 applicants, the most this year, filed claims.
Of the 57 applicants, 32 were doctors, including five dentists, two pharmacists and one veterinarian, raising the rate of applicants from medical fields to 61 percent.
Following this were self-employed (16), housewives (2), company managers (2), office workers (1) and a real estate businessman (1).
According to the National Statistical Office, the number of licensed doctors has tripled in two decades, from 36,845 in 1988 to 91,475 in 2007, while the number of private practices increased 1.7 times within a decade, from 15,876 in 1997 to 26,265 in 2007.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
|
