Prime Minister Han Duck-soo addressed a central disaster response meeting in Seoul, announcing the government's decision to allow hospitals to prolong the application period for trainee doctor programs. This move aims to assist hospitals in recruiting more junior doctors, as only 104 candidates, representing 1.4 percent of available positions at 126 hospitals, had applied for the training programs scheduled to commence next month. This low number of applicants is attributed to the ongoing dispute between the government and the medical community, which has led to thousands of trainee doctors resigning since February. Han emphasized the government's commitment to extending the application period within the week and expressed the intention to engage in ongoing communication with trainee doctors to encourage their return to hospitals, as well as to prevent any disadvantages they may face within the medical community. Additionally, he pledged to take strong measures against any actions that hinder the trainee doctors' return. Furthermore, Han announced that the government would unveil detailed action plans for health care reform tasks and an investment plan for the next five years to enhance regional and essential medical sectors later in the month.