Seoul: The government announced its decision to return the nation's medical school enrollment quota for 2026 to the previous level of 3,058, aiming to resolve a 14-month standoff with trainee doctors and medical students. This change comes after thousands of trainee doctors left their jobs and medical students refused to attend classes, protesting against the government's previous increase in medical school admissions by 2,000 this year.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Education Minister Lee Ju-ho expressed regret during a news conference at the Seoul government complex, apologizing to the public for concerns about a potential setback in medical reform. The decision to revert the quota to 3,058 aligns with the figures from 2024 and before, effectively reversing the previous policy that increased admissions to address a chronic shortage of doctors.
The 2025 medical school enrollment quota was previously raised to 5,058 under government policy. The government has committed to reverting to the former quota level if all medical students return to classes by the end of March, following a yearlong boycott. Despite this deadline, many students continue their protests by refusing to attend classes, prompting Education Minister Lee to emphasize that this will be the "last time" such "special measures" will be granted for medical students.