SEOUL, The education ministry has requested police investigate allegations that students at three medical schools were coerced into joining a collective action to boycott classes and file for a leave of absence in protest against the medical school quota hike, officials said Monday.
The request came as many medical students have not gone to classes for nearly three months and have collectively filed for leave from school in response to the government’s decision to dramatically increase the nationwide medical school quota, starting next year.
The ministry was informed last Friday about coercion at three medical schools to pressure students into participating in a collective action, and it subsequently requested the police investigate the three schools, a senior education ministry official said during a press briefing.
The three medical schools are reportedly located outside Seoul.
Last month, the ministry requested a police investigation into medical students at Hanyang University in Seoul on suspicion th
at they demanded public apologies from students not participating in the class boycott and denied them access to essential learning materials.
The latest suspected coercion cases include demanding that students shun online classes and then pressing them to publicly prove they have participated in the boycott. Additionally, students were also allegedly coerced into filing for leave from school after being assembled at a location where they were barred from leaving.
The education ministry maintains that a collective action is not a valid reason for granting leave from school.
Source: Yonhap News Agency