The Korean Medical Association (KMA) criticized the government for selecting the policy of increasing the medical school enrollment quota as an “excellent innovation case,” saying it is "self-congratulation and mental triumph."

The nation’s largest group of medical doctors said so in a news release on Wednesday, responding to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, which announced that it had selected the medical student increase policy as one of seven excellent examples of preemptive response to future crises and risks.

KMA also suggested that the title be changed to "future crisis and preemptive collapse” case in the "government that destroys the future" category.

"Watching the policy to increase medical school admissions selected as one of the best examples of preemptive response to future crises and risks, we can’t help but doubt our eyes, wondering if the opposite case was selected incorrectly," the association said.

Considering the ripple effect that the increase in medical school enrollment will have in the future, it is a case of facilitating a crisis and risk that could have been prevented, sowing the misfortune that collapses the medical system and fails to protect the health and lives of the people., the association added.

"It shows the level of the current government," KMA said. "We regret the incumbent administration's attitude that regards the current situation where many people feel anxious due to the medical crisis is an excellent case of administrative innovation."

KMA also made a thorny response to Prime Minister Han Duck-soo’s statement Wednesday expressing willingness to accept all demands of trainee doctors except for nullifying the medical student increase policy.

"It is absurd to exclude medical student increase from the causes of the current medical crisis triggered by the unilateral and unreasonable medical school expansion policy," the association said. "The government must stop the irresponsible acts of only calling for more medical students but keep in mind that policies to normalize the medical system are the best innovative case.”.