Acting President Choi Sang-mok speaks during a meeting at the Government Complex in Seoul, Jan. 10. Yonhap

Acting President Choi Sang-mok said Friday that the government is open to readjusting the country's medical school admissions quota for next year from scratch, urging doctors to resume talks aimed at resolving the prolonged deadlock over medical reform.

The remarks raise hope for a breakthrough in the prolonged walkout by thousands of trainee doctors, which has disrupted hospital services across the nation, particularly emergency room operations. The medical community has demanded a reconsideration of the proposed increase in medical school quotas.

"If the medical community participates in discussions, we are willing to negotiate the scale of the 2026 medical school quota increase flexibly from a zero base," Choi said during a meeting with ministers on social issues.

Earlier, the government announced plans to increase medical school admissions by 1,500 students for 2025, as part of a broader initiative to raise the total by approximately 10,000 over the next five years to address a shortage of doctors.

President Yoon Suk Yeol, whose duties have been suspended following his short-lived imposition of martial law in December, had been believed to be firmly sticking to the plan for a 2,000-seat increase annually.

Choi said the government will take into account various factors, such as supply and demand, as well as the fact that many medical students were unable to attend classes last year.

Choi also instructed the health ministry and other relevant government agencies to actively review measures that would facilitate the return of medical residents and medical students to their duties. (Yonhap)