Vice health minister Park Min-soo reiterated the government's resolve to expand the medical school enrollment quota stressing that it's a clear fact there are not enough doctors.

Appearing on local news channel YTN on Saturday, Park said the number of doctors in South Korea is only 60 percent the OECD average and increasing that number is inevitable given the rising medical demand resulting from the aging population.

He said the U.S., UK, Japan and Germany have also already raised medical quotas amid an aging society and South Korea is late to join the move and therefore the need is more urgent.

Park added that sufficient consultations will be held with the medical community, experts and patients and a quota will be finalized based on consensus.

The government is pushing to expand the medical school enrollment quota, set at just over three thousand since 2006, starting from academic year 2025.  A detailed plan was set to be announced on Thursday but it was delayed after facing strong opposition by doctors groups.

The government instead revealed a support package for the medical sector including measures to advance national university hospitals located in the provinces and raise labor compensation for healthcare workers. 

The vice minister also expressed plans to increase the number of nurses so as to bolster hospital capabilities and services.