The presidential office has urged the medical community to refrain from taking collective action against the government’s planned hike in enrollment quota for medical schools. 

Presidential Chief of Staff for Policy Sung Tae-yoon unveiled the call in a press briefing on Thursday as he said the top office hopes the medical community will, together with the government, ponder about the future of the nation.   

Earlier on Wednesday, the Korean Medical Association(KMA) hinted at launching a strike shortly after the lunar New Year holidays in protest of the government’s plan. 

Sung’s remarks come after President Yoon Suk Yeol instructed his senior presidential secretaries during a meeting earlier in the day to thoroughly explain to the people the need for the quota expansion. 

Another senior official at the top office told reporters that the office believes the doctors’ association will refrain from taking collective action as it places top priority on protecting the lives and health of the people, before requesting the group to desist from taking such action. 

The official then added that if the KMA goes forward with a strike, the government will not rule out the possibility of issuing a back-to-work order or stripping doctors of medical licenses in line with the nation’s medical law.