Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyoo-hong said on Tuesday that an increase in the number of doctors cannot be delayed any longer as he called on the Korea Medical Association(KMA) to suggest a “more specific and feasible” solution.

Minister Cho made the comments during the Fifth Medical Manpower Expert Committee meeting held in Seoul on Tuesday, stressing that the need for an increase in the number of doctors is “greater than ever.”

Cho pointed out a shortage in pediatric and emergency room doctors in the nation.

Noting that 14 meetings between the health ministry and the KMA over the past ten months have produced no progress in a decision on the enrollment quota, he stressed that an expansion is necessary based on the needs of the populace and empirical data.