SEOUL, President Yoon Suk Yeol once again urged doctors Tuesday to participate in dialogue with the government about medical reforms and persuade junior doctors to return to work from a walkout protesting the increase in the medical school quota. Yoon made the remarks while presiding over a Cabinet meeting, as Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is scheduled to meet with representatives of the medical community later in the day. "I hope medical professionals, including medical professors, will actively engage in dialogue with the government for medical reform," Yoon said in televised opening remarks. Yoon urged medical professors to persuade trainee doctors to return to work as soon as possible. Medical professors have demanded the government first scrap the decision to increase the medical school quota by 2,000 from the current 3,058, saying it would sit down for talks with the government only if the plan is abolished. Since Feb. 20, more than 90 percent of the country's 13,000 trainee doctors have been on str ike in the form of collective resignations, leading to serious disruptions in hospital operations that rely heavily on interns and resident doctors. Yoon emphasized once again that increasing the medical school enrollment quota is a necessary minimum measure to address the anticipated shortage of doctors. Despite threats of a general strike from the largest doctors' group, the government earlier announced that 82 percent of the additional 2,000 medical school seats will be allocated to 27 universities outside the broader capital region. "The minimum necessary conditions for medical reform have been established with the confirmation of the medical school expansion plan by each university," Yoon said. Yoon said a presidential committee comprising experts from different sectors, including the medical community, will be launched this month to discuss details of the government plan. Source: Yonhap News Agency