The government has urged doctors’ groups not to insist on the scrapping of the plan to increase the medical school admissions quota and to instead engage in dialogue. 

Health minister Cho Kyoo-hong made the call on Monday in a government meeting on doctors’ collective action, urging them to swiftly participate in dialogue for reform and development of the country’s medical system without insisting on the withdrawal of the quota increase. 

The minister then reaffirmed the government’s pledge to create conditions where people providing essential medical services can be properly rewarded and work with pride.

Minister Cho also urged medical professors to stay with patients, while calling on trainee doctors to return to hospitals.  

With medical doctors at major hospitals set to take a weekly day off starting this week, the minister said that the government will further strengthen the emergency treatment system by dispatching more medical personnel to hospitals while closely monitoring the situation.