The top office said on Tuesday that it was "very regrettable" that the doctors’ associations did not agree to negotiate with the government and instead maintained its position that the planned medical school admissions quota hike be reconsidered from square one.

Jang Sang-yoon, the senior secretary for social policy, told reporters during a briefing that the medical community had requested a one-on-one dialogue with the government. 
 
The government in turn proposed that its representatives participate in the president’s special committee on health care reform scheduled for this week, but was rejected.
 
Jang expressed regret that the medical community has spurned the government's push to resolve the ongoing rift together, calling on the groups to hold reasonable and constructive discussions with the government, regardless of the format or topic.
 
The presidential secretary added that the government has responded to the demands of the public and patients for a speedy resolution amid the protracted conflict with a bold policy decision, and called on the medical community to respond and take action.