The presidential office has refused to revisit plans to increase the medical school admissions quotas for next year, in response to an ultimatum from the Korean Medical Association(KMA).

A presidential official told KBS on Sunday that canceling the planned hike for next year is impossible under the Higher Education Act, adding that it would impact the tens of thousands of people preparing for college entrance exams this year. 

Earlier on Sunday, the KMA said it would not join a proposed consultative body unless the government scrapped its plans to increase the medical school admissions quotas for both 2025 and 2026. 

The presidential official called the demand "unreasonable" but said the government is ready to engage in dialogue with the medical community at any time. 

Another official at the top office said earlier comments about the government being willing to renegotiate its health care reform plans “from scratch” did not mean it would consider deferring the quota increase. 

It meant the government was ready to engage in talks if the medical community offered a science-based proposal, the official explained. 

The doctors’ group said it is willing to discuss the possibility of increasing the quotas for 2027 and beyond.