ISTANBUL 

The South Korean government Monday said it will begin taking punitive action against at least 7,000 protesting medics, including the suspension of licenses which would be “irreversible.”

The warning came as doctors held a mass rally in western Seoul while police have imposed a travel ban on four leaders of the Korean Medical Association’s emergency committee.

The government “intends to make on-site investigations to find out violations, which will be followed with responses under the law and principles," Second Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo told reporters in Seoul.

The action came as walk-off duty protests as well as mass resignations by around 9,000 trainee doctors entered the 14th day as the junior doctors and medical interns want the government to shelve plans of adding 2,000 medical seats annually.

The government has called protests by medics an "illegal" labor action.

Currently, the government admits 3,058 medical students.

"The responses to key officials responsible for the collective action leading to chaos in the medical sector will be executed sternly and promptly,” said Park.

“Doctors are subject to suspension of their medical licenses for up to a year, or could face three years in prison or a fine of 30 million won ($22,455), for not complying with such government orders,” according to the Seoul-based Yonhap News.

The protests by the medics have forced hospitals to postpone surgeries as well as emergency medical treatment while the South Korean military opened its health facilities for civilian treatment.

"The government remains firm in its principle against illegal collective action by trainee doctors," said the country’s Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong.