Anchor: The country's medical students will take group action against the government's planned expansion of the quota for medical school admissions, with a survey of 20-thousand students nationwide set to be conducted on whether to take a leave of absence en masse. While no doctor in training has yet resigned, the health ministry said it will seek ways to improve the medical training environment.
Choi You Sun reports.

Report: Korea’s medical students have decided to take collective action in protest of the government's plan to expand the medical school admissions quota.

The Korean Medical Student Association(KMSA) announced on Thursday that student representatives from 40 medical schools unanimously agreed on the course of action during an extraordinary plenary session the previous day.  

Calling on the government to completely withdraw the planned quota expansion, the association said it will conduct a survey of all 20-thousand medical students in the country on a proposed plan to take a year of absence en masse.

This comes as fourth-year students at the college of medicine at Hallym University decided to take a one-year leave of absence in protest of the government's plan.

Park Dan, head of the Korean Intern Resident Association(KIRA), representing the nation's medical residents and interns, declared his intent to submit his official resignation to Severance Hospital next Tuesday.

Park is expected to continue work until March 20 to ensure a smooth transfer of duties and plans to also serve as KIRA chief until his time as a resident doctor comes to an end.

The health ministry said no doctor in training has yet resigned and that it soon plans to establish a consultative body involving residents, interns and hospitals to seek ways to improve their training environment.

Meanwhile, the Korean Medical Association(KMA), representing the nation's doctors, are staging rallies in 12 cities and provinces throughout the day on Thursday to protest the quota expansion, while finalizing details on further collective action through its emergency steering committee on Saturday.
Choi You Sun, KBS World Radio News.