Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has reaffirmed that the government will push ahead with health care reform and has no intention of backing down. 

Speaking to reporters at the government complex in Sejong on Wednesday, Han said backing away from health care reform would constitute dereliction of duty under the constitution. 

Han dismissed claims that the government is pursuing changes without any prior research, saying it considered all variables before increasing the admissions quota for medical schools.

Those variables include the fact that the population is aging and demand for medical services is set to escalate in the coming years, he said. 

He was quick to add, however, that the government would hold consultations with the medical community should it present a science-based proposal, reiterating that the government might reconsider the quota for the 2026 academic year but not for 2025.