South Korea Considers Abandoning Medical School Admission Increase for Next Year

Synopsis

The South Korean government is contemplating the cancellation of a planned increase in medical school admissions due to ongoing disputes with trainee doctors. Education Minister Lee Ju-ho discussed a potential reduction in quotas during meetings with medical school deans.

Key Takeaways

Potential scrapping of increased medical school admissions.
Dispute ongoing between government and trainee doctors.
Education Minister Lee Ju-ho proposes lower quotas.
Medical students continue to protest with leaves of absence.
KMA denies informal discussions about quota freezes.

Seoul, Feb 26 (NationPress) The South Korean government has indicated the potential for abandoning a contentious rise in medical school admissions for the upcoming year, according to sources acquainted with the situation. This move aims to address an ongoing conflict with trainee doctors.

Education Minister Lee Ju-ho held discussions with medical school deans earlier this week, mentioning that he might contemplate establishing an annual admission limit of 3,058 for 2026, a reduction of 2,000 from the current year, contingent upon the return of medical students currently on leave for the March semester, as reported by government officials and medical insiders.

For over a year, the government and trainee doctors have been at odds since the government increased medical school admissions by 2,000 from this year. Reports indicate that no definitive agreement was made during the recent meeting.

As one dean noted, "It was a tug of war between the two sides as the deans expressed their intention to convince the students if the quota is halted, while the education ministry raised concerns about whether freezing the quota would ensure their return."

The Korean Medical Association (KMA) refuted claims from media sources that Lee had informally proposed a quota freeze to the association, labeling it a media tactic. Concurrently, medical students have suggested they would maintain their leave of absence, regardless of the government's proposal regarding an enrollment freeze.

A medical student currently on leave stated, "I have already submitted my leave of absence. The fact that students have taken leave, even with the chance of the quota increase being canceled, illustrates that students are unwilling to return."

Thousands of medical students have opted for leave in protest of the government's initiative to raise medical school admissions by 2,000, as part of a broader goal to increase the total by around 10,000 over the next five years to combat a doctor shortage.