Lim Hyun-taek, the president-elect of the Korean Medical Association (KMA), speaks during a press conference at the KMA building in Seoul, Friday. Yonhap

The new leader of the largest coalition of doctors vowed to disturb campaigns of politicians who have been on the offensive against doctors, by persuading patients not to vote for them in the April 10 general elections, amid a protracted conflict with the government over the planned medical school admissions quota hike.

Lim Hyun-taek, the president-elect of the Korean Medical Association (KMA), also denounced the Yoon Suk Yeol administration's push for the quota hike as "playing Russian roulette with the people's safety."

The comments came as the government decided to add 2,000 slots to the admissions quota of the country's 40 medical schools starting next year. This led to protests by thousands of trainee doctors walking off their jobs more than a month ago and medical professors tendering resignations en masse more recently.

During his first press conference after his election, Friday, Lim said that there have been many politicians encouraging negative stereotypes of doctors, such as labeling physicians on strike as "money-grubbers."

Lim said these attempts are seen in various parties, referring to previous governments' similar pushes for a quota hike.

"Doctor-patient relations are based on massive trust. We will tell how these politicians have made it difficult for doctors to get back to treating patients and persuade our patients not to vote for them," he said.

In a media interview a day earlier, Lim, who has been one of the strongest opponents of the quota hike plan, also said the doctors' community "has strategies to decide the fate of 20 to 30 seats" in the upcoming National Assembly elections.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, third from left, speaks during a meeting with the heads of the five biggest hospitals at the Government Complex Seoul, Friday, while Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong, second from left, looks on. Yonhap

During Friday's press conference, Lim reaffirmed that the government should bear all responsibility for the ongoing health care standoff, which has caused significant disruptions to medical services, calling for drawing up measures to encourage trainee doctors and professors who left their worksites to return.

Criticizing the government's firm position regarding the addition of 2,000 slots, which doctors claim is too excessive, Lim said, "The government and the ruling People Power Party failed to settle conflicts while playing Russian roulette with people's safety."

Lim added that his association is willing to resolve the people's growing anxiety over medical service disruptions if the government and the ruling party take a forward-looking attitude, calling for withdrawing the quota hike policy or at least adjusting its range.

However, Second Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo stressed, once again, that the government will complete the medical reform, including an increase of the medical school enrollment quota.

"Overturning the government decision will not happen, as it was made based on scientific research and collections of opinions more than 130 times," Park said during a media briefing.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, for his part, met with the heads of the five biggest hospitals in Seoul, later on Friday, asking them to play a role in promoting dialogue between the government and the doctors' community.

"The government has made consistent efforts to talk with the doctors' community, but dialogue has not been achieved yet," Han said.

Meanwhile, some PPP members running for the April elections, including former Unification Minister Kwon Young-se seeking reelection in Seoul's Yongsan District, called on the government to take a more flexible attitude, rather than pushing forward with its original plan for 2,000 additions annually.

Such calls came amid apparent concerns that the walkout by trainee doctors could hurt the party's chances in the elections.