The Korean Intern Resident Association, representing the nation's medical residents and interns, is set to convene an extraordinary general meeting online Monday night to settle on their response to the government's planned expansion of quota for medical school admissions.

Earlier, residents and interns at the nation's so-called "Big Five" general hospitals, including Seoul National University Hospital and Severance Hospital, had collected opinions in their own surveys to take part in group action.

The Korean Society of Emergency Medicine earlier threatened to walk out unless the government shows a resolve to engage in talks and cooperate with the medical community.

The Korean Medical Association(KMA) plans to stage 16 municipal-level rallies nationwide on Thursday, as its emergency steering committee considers a meeting of regional doctors' group representatives in Seoul on Saturday.

The health ministry, which has issued an order against doctors' group action, including group resignations, has pledged to draw up emergency measures to prevent a vacuum in medical services.