Health minister Cho Kyoo-hong implored the justification for the government's planned expansion of quota for medical school admissions to the nation's medical residents and interns.

In a social media posting on Sunday, Cho said the planned quota expansion and the government's policy package aimed at enhancing essential medical service are part of efforts to resolve perennial issues plaguing healthcare.

Acknowledging concerns within the medical community over the quota expansion, Cho asked there be no doubt over an intent to make hospitals a sustainable workplace, adding the government will push ahead with policies aimed at establishing a safety net against medical malpractice.

Last Tuesday, the government announced plans to expand medical school admissions by two-thousand for the 2025 academic year to secure an additional workforce of doctors of up to ten-thousand by 2035.

While the government has issued orders to ban doctors' group action, the Korean Medical Association(KMA) plans to hold a nationwide rally in protest on Thursday. The Korean Intern Resident Association is set to hold an extraordinary general meeting on the matter Monday night.