Following Yonsei University College of Medicine, students at Seoul National University College of Medicine decided to register en masse for the first semester by the deadline of the 27th. They have opted to avoid expulsion due to non-registration and have shifted their protest methods to 'register then take a leave of absence' or 'register then refuse classes.'
According to medical sources, the Seoul National University College of Medicine's conflict response task force (TF) conducted a vote on protest methods for students from the night before through the morning of this day, resulting in about two-thirds in favor of registering.
In response to the question, 'Are you willing to continue protests with unregistered leaves of absence?', 65.7% (399) of 607 respondents, excluding the 38 who previously had their leaves approved, chose 'no.' The responses indicating 'I will continue to be unregistered' accounted for 34.3% (208).
The Seoul National University College of Medicine's conflict response TF reported these results and stated, 'It has been determined that continuing protests with unregistered leaves of absence is practically impossible, so we decided to adopt a protest method that involves registration.' The TF noted, 'The student council will provide guidance on the registration process through the announcement rooms of each grade,' and requested, 'Please complete the registration process through submitting a readmission application and course registration by 2 p.m. today.'
Seoul National University College of Medicine is expected to close first-semester registration at 5 p.m. this day. As a result, a last-minute rush of registrations from medical students is anticipated.
The Student Emergency Response Committee at Yonsei University College of Medicine also announced that it will change the method of the first semester leave to a 'registered leave' the night before. For Yonsei University, the registration deadline was on the 21st, and they sent expulsion notices to unregistered students on the 24th. The university is currently keeping its doors open ahead of final expulsion processing on the 28th. Registration requests are also expected to continue at Yonsei University this day.
Attention is focused on whether the decisions by Seoul National University and Yonsei University will affect students at other universities. Ewha Womans University, Pusan National University, Dongguk University, and others are also expected to close applications for medical student returns this day. However, the overall medical student organization emphasized its stance to continue the 'unregistered protests' for now.
The Korean Medical College and Medical Graduate School Student Association, excluding Seoul National University and Yonsei University, issued a statement on behalf of representatives from 38 medical schools, saying, 'The protests are not over,' and added, 'While there were some wavering among Seoul National University and Yonsei University, the remaining 38 institutions are still maintaining their unregistered status.'
Most medical schools expel those who have been 'failed for two consecutive semesters' or 'have been failed or received academic warnings three or more times.' Expulsion means that the school removes the student's academic status.