Professors at the University of Ulsan's medical school have agreed to tender their resignations en masse in protest of the government's administrative and legal steps against trainee doctors who walked out of their workplaces in response to an increase in the medical school admissions quota.

An emergency steering committee of professors at the school issued a press release Thursday night, saying all teaching staff at the school have decided to resign following an emergency general meeting, with the exact date of their resignation to be announced later.

The professors are reportedly conducting patient consultations at Asan Medical Center, one of the "Big Five" general hospitals in Seoul, as well as Gangneung Asan Medical Center and Ulsan University Hospital.

While pledging to continue to do their best to look after patients, the professors said a gradual reduction in medical services would be inevitable in order to maintain inpatient treatment, especially in emergency rooms and intensive care units.

The emergency committee also plans to advise hospitals to secure substitute medical personnel and to reduce patient consultations, citing concerns over remaining doctors becoming burnt out or leaving their jobs.