Korean Medical Association: ”We are ready to have a dialogue with the government”... Ministry of Health and Welfare: ”We will set up a meeting” (Korea)

In South Korea, the Korean Medical Association (KMA), which is in conflict with the government over an increase in medical school admissions quotas, has stated that the medical community is ready to engage in dialogue with the government.
The government also stated that it is "pleased and welcomes" the proposal. However, it said that "there are no preconditions such as 'reconsidering the starting point' or 'a one-year grace period (for increasing the number of medical school students)'."
On the 22nd, the Medical Association held a closed joint meeting with the medical school professors' association, the Korean Medical Association, and others at the Medical Association Hall to discuss measures to deal with the situation of an increase in the number of medical school admissions.
The Korean Council of Medical Specialists and other medical specialist associations did not attend the meeting. After the meeting, Son Hye-young, a spokesperson for the Korean Council of Medical Specialists, told reporters, "I cannot talk about the content of the meeting, but we will continue to hold discussions on medical issues."
He added, "We plan to hold joint meetings every week, where we will continually discuss medical issues and gather opinions from the medical community."
Song offered no other explanation, but simply added that "the medical community and the government are ready for dialogue."
In response, Park Min-soo, second vice minister of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said at a doctors' meeting on the afternoon of the 22nd,
At a briefing by the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CCHC), he responded, "I'm glad to hear that the medical association has sent a message that they are ready for dialogue, and I welcome it."
Vice Minister Park said, "I have proposed official and unofficial dialogue many times in the past, and since the medical association sent me that message, I will contact them again and try to arrange a concrete meeting."
He also explained, "In addition to official dialogue, we are maintaining unofficial contact and communication." However, Vice Minister Park said, "The medical community is not responding to the dialogue about 'reconsidering the starting point' or 'giving a one-year grace period (for increasing the number of staff)'."
"They have presented preconditions, which are clearly unacceptable. Let's have a dialogue without preconditions," he added.