Anchor: The special presidential committee on medical reform kicked off on Thursday and held its inaugural meeting without the participation of doctors’ groups, as they refused to take part in the committee amid a protracted stalemate regarding government plans to increase the nation’s medical school student quota. Meanwhile, medical school professors who submitted their resignations are set to leave their posts starting today.
Max Lee has the latest.
 
Report: The special presidential committee on medical reform began operations on Thursday, aiming to intensively discuss mid-to long-term tasks related to medical reform and priorities for investment in essential medical care.

Experts from various fields, as well as committee members from hospital associations and patient groups, took part in the first meeting on Thursday.

Notably absent from the presidential committee were representatives from the Korean Medical Association(KMA) and the Korean Intern Resident Association(KIRA), despite repeated requests by the government.
 
The committee's chairman Noh Yun-hong met reporters following the first meeting and expressed hope that the doctors will join the committee soon, and work together to improve the structural problems of the country's medical system.

However, the committee chairman emphasized that the members do not plan to discuss the specifics of the medical school admissions quota at the moment, as the committee was not created solely for that purpose.

While medical professors who submitted their resignation letters in support of a collective action by trainee doctors against the school admissions quota plans are set to take leave starting today, there are no apparent signs that they have walked off their jobs yet.  
 
At the Seoul National University College of Medicine, four professors from the department of essential medicine will leave their respective hospitals on May 1.
 
In addition, medical professors announced they plan to take weekly breaks, with professors at around 20 medical schools nationwide saying they will suspend outpatient treatment once a week starting next week.
 
The government expressed regret over their decision but said it will maintain its stance on the medical school admissions quota until scientific evidence is provided through the open call for research and publication papers on 'scientific estimation of the number of doctors needed.'
 
Max Lee, KBS World Radio News.