Chapter offices of the Korean Medical Association(KMA) in 16 major cities and provinces held rallies on Thursday in protest of the government's plan to expand the quota for medical school admissions.

Some 120 members of the Gangwondo Medical Association held a demonstration in front of the Gangwon provincial office and denounced the government for unveiling the quota plan without taking into consideration the learning conditions of medical schools, calling the plan a populism policy aimed at winning the general elections. 

Such chapter offices in Daejeon, Ulsan, North Chungcheong Province, North Jeolla Province, Seoul, Jeju and the Gyeongsang provinces also held such rallies. 

The protesters urged the government to scrap the quota plan, saying it would lead to the collapse of the healthcare system, a drop in the quality of education and infringement of the people’s right to health.

The KMA chapter offices are set to gather in Seoul on Saturday to discuss measures to counter the government’s plan.