Professors affiliated with the Asan Medical Center, one of the "Big Five" general hospitals in Seoul, say they will voluntarily "adjust treatments" starting Thursday, instead of taking an indefinite leave of absence as previously planned.

Speaking to KBS on Wednesday, Choi Chang-min, head of the professors' emergency committee, said they decided to change the term used to refer to the group action to prevent confusion among patients amid the continued need for critical and emergency medical services.

Choi explained that despite the reference change, the professors are expected to take the same course of action, rescheduling or deferring reserved noncritical and nonemergency treatments.

The professors expect surgeries to drop 49 percent compared to a year earlier and for outpatient treatment to fall 30-point-five percent, advising patients with minor symptoms to seek medical assistance at local clinics.

The committee sought public understanding for the collective action, saying it was an inevitable choice to minimize confusion sparked by the government's "violent push" for medical reforms.