On March 22 of last year, a medical school lecture hall in Daegu was left empty due to a student strike protesting the policy of increasing medical school admissions. According to a report, 95% of medical students across the country have taken a leave of absence in response to the government’s plan to expand medical school enrollment. Concerns are being raised that if students do not return for the new semester, there could be long-term disruptions in medical workforce supply.
Data obtained by Representative Jin Sun-mi of the Democratic Party of Korea from the Ministry of Education shows that as of January 9, 18,343 students from 39 medical schools nationwide were on leave, accounting for 95% of all enrolled medical students in the country (19,373 in total). This marks a 59% increase in the number of students on leave compared to the 11,584 recorded in November of the previous year.
Out of the 1,030 enrolled students who continued their studies, only 723 actually attended classes. The remaining 307 did not officially apply for a leave of absence but are de facto boycotting classes. There are 11 medical schools where fewer than 10 students are attending classes, and one school reported zero student attendance.
The number of students applying to resume their studies is also low. Only 18 students applied to return at three national universities (Kyungpook, Chonnam, and Pusan National Universities), with Kyungpook and Chonnam each having eight, and Pusan only two. None of the students from Pusan National University’s 2024 cohort applied to return.
Medical students have been on leave since February of last year to protest the increase in admissions. Some universities have policies preventing students from taking more than three consecutive semesters off. There is concern that continued absence could lead to significant conflicts over expulsion. Conversely, if students return in the new semester, around 7,500 freshmen and current students would attend classes simultaneously, necessitating an expansion of lecture rooms, practice facilities, and teaching staff.
The government plans to announce a comprehensive medical education strategy for 2026 this month. Once the medical school quotas are set, each university will need to get approval from the Korean Council for University Education to establish and announce their admissions plans by May. Representative Jin Sun-mi emphasized the need to ensure an environment that guarantees the quality of education for the 2024 and 2025 cohorts.