Medical facilities in South Korea are reportedly being affected as thousands of trainee doctors are not turning up for work in protest against the government's policy to increase the number of medical students.

The government has begun taking administrative steps to suspend their licenses for three months. But there appears to be no concrete progress toward resolving the issue.

The government last month announced plans to expand by 60 percent admissions to medical schools to tackle the shortfall of doctors.

A doctors association has fiercely opposed the plan, saying the quality of doctors will suffer, and that the government should prioritize improving the working conditions of medical staff.

Some 10,000 trainee doctors have reportedly submitted their resignations. Of them, nearly 9,000 are not going to work.

The government responded by calling on the junior doctors to return to their workplaces by the end of February. But South Korean media have reported that operations are being postponed while hospitals are being partially shut down as most have not complied.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Wednesday criticized the doctors, telling his cabinet the collective action is an act that betrays their responsibilities and shakes the basis of the rule of law.