Noh Yun-hong, who heads the special presidential committee on medical reform, speaks during a meeting held in Seoul, April 25. Yonhap

A presidential committee on medical reform was formally launched on Thursday with the aim of seeking a breakthrough over a prolonged walkout by doctors, as their labor action has disrupted public health services for more than two months.

Prospects for the committee, however, are uncertain as representatives from senior and trainee doctors have refused to join it, while demanding the government revisit the medical school admissions issue from scratch.

"The medical reform is a task that can no longer be delayed," Noh Yun-hong, who heads the committee, told the first meeting of the committee.

"We aim to narrow down the differences by communicating with stakeholders, and publicize the conflicts and issues," Noh said. "We hope that junior doctors and doctors' organizations, as stakeholders in medical reform, participate in the committee to share ideas."

About 12,000 trainee doctors have left their worksites since Feb. 20 in protest of the plan to boost the number of medical students by 2,000.

The committee comprises 20 experts from the private sector, recommended by 10 medical organizations and five patient advocacy groups, as well as the leaders of six government agencies.

In a separate briefing, Noh said that the committee's main objective is to deliberate on the comprehensive medical reform, and it will not address adjustments to the proposed medical school quotas.

"While it is possible to discuss the issue in broader terms, we currently have no plans to discuss the medical school quota," Noh said.

The official added the committee aims to develop a medical reform road map in the first half of this year, focusing on improving compensation in critical areas, normalizing health care delivery, enhancing government involvement in doctor training, and strengthening the malpractice safety net.

Noh Yun-hong, who heads the special presidential committee on medical reform, speaks during a meeting held in Seoul, April 25. Yonhap

Meanwhile, medical professors at major hospitals were set to resign on Thursday and have a day off next week as they have been stretched thin amid the prolonged walkout by trainee doctors.

The move by medical professors, who are senior doctors at major hospitals, is likely to deepen concerns over further disruptions in the country's health care system. (Yonhap)