Amid the prolonged absence of trainee doctors in the nation, the government is set to allow doctors who have obtained their first medical qualification in another country to practice in South Korea. 

The health ministry on Wednesday announced related revisions to medical regulations, posting advance notice of the move through May 20.

Under the revision, doctors who earned medical licenses issued from overseas institutions can get an approval from the health ministry to practice in South Korea when the nation's medical crisis level is raised to the top level in a four-tier system.    

South Korea raised its public health alert to the highest “severe” for the first time in February after thousands of trainee doctors walked off the job to protest a government plan to raise the number of doctors in the nation.

The government is pushing to increase the number of doctors in the nation by raising medical school admissions quota by two-thousand seats starting next year from the current three-thousand 38 across the country.