Seoul, June 23 (IANS): An association of medical professors across South Korea said on Sunday that it will file a constitutional petition to help them get legal status as hospital employees.

Most medical professors serve as senior doctors at major hospitals, but a court ruling in 2022 refused to acknowledge them as hospital employees, saying that they are classified as faculty members of medical schools under the Private School Act, Yonhap news agency reported.

"There are neither clear legal grounds nor protection measures for medical professors regarding their duty of providing treatment for patients as doctors," Kim Chang-soo, chief of the National Medical Professors' Council, said.

"We will file a constitutional petition in the second half of this year to earn employee status," he said, adding that his organisation will also work to make its labour union more active.

The council is affiliated with medical professors at 40 medicine colleges nationwide.