Seoul: The government on Thursday announced its decision to return the nation's medical school enrollment quota for 2026 to the former level of 3,058 from two years ago, in a bid to resolve a 14-month standoff with trainee doctors and medical students. Since February last year, thousands of trainee doctors have left their jobs and medical students have refused to attend classes in fierce protest against the government's push that increased medical school admissions by 2,000 this year.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Education Minister Lee Ju-ho expressed regret for the disruption caused by the government's previous decision during a news conference held at the Seoul government complex. He conveyed apologies to the public for the potential setbacks in medical reform, announcing the decision to revert the quota to 3,058, aligning it with the level set in 2024 and prior years. Lee emphasized that this would be the "last time" the government would implement such "special measures" for medical students.
The increase in medical school admissions, which added 2,000 seats to reach a total of 5,058 beginning in 2025, was initially aimed at addressing shortages in medical services in rural areas and essential medical disciplines. However, the move faced intense opposition from doctors and medical students, leading to prolonged disruptions in medical education and ongoing boycotts.
The government had previously assured the reinstatement of the former quota level if all medical students returned to their classes by the end of March following a yearlong boycott. Despite nearly all medical students completing their registration or reenrollment procedures between late last month and early this month, many continued their protests by not attending classes. The actual return rate currently stands at an average of 25.9 percent across the nation's 40 medical schools.
In addition to reverting the enrollment quota, the government plans to amend the Enforcement Decree of the Higher Education Act to provide a legal foundation for adjusting the medical school enrollment figures. Each university is required to submit a revised admission plan reflecting the adjusted quota of 3,058 students to the Korean Council for University Education by the end of the month. The council's approval will lead to the official announcement of final enrollment numbers for each medical school in late May.
Civic groups, including patient advocacy organizations, have criticized the government's decision, labeling it a "fraud against the public." The Korea Severe Disease Association expressed concerns over the implications for patients with serious illnesses, asserting that the decision has rendered their suffering meaningless.
Additionally, there are growing concerns over the potential "tripling" crisis, wherein students admitted in 2024 and 2025 would need to attend classes with those entering in 2026, should the boycott persist. This scenario would result in more than 10,000 students needing to take first-year courses simultaneously, a situation deemed physically unmanageable by both the government and universities.