In the 2027 academic year college admissions to be taken by this year's 12th graders, the quota for medical school admissions will increase by 490 from the current level. The additional slots will be filled only through the "regional doctor" track at 32 medical schools nationwide outside Seoul. The government plans to prepare and announce a comprehensive package that includes implementing the regional doctor system, supporting medical education, and overhauling the resident training program.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare on the 10th convened the Health and Medical Policy Deliberation Committee, joined by the medical community and patient and consumer groups, and finalized the scale of medical school expansion for five years starting with the 2027 academic year.
Accordingly, the 2027 academic year medical school quota will be expanded to 3,548, up 490 from the current level, and to 3,671 in the 2028–2029 academic years, up 613. From 2030 onward, reflecting the quotas for a public medical school and a newly established regional medical school (100 each), it will rise to 3,871. This means an average of 668 additional physicians will be trained annually over the next five years.
Minister Jung Eun-kyeong of the Ministry of Health and Welfare held a related briefing at Government Complex Seoul in Jongno-gu, Seoul, the same day, saying, "We selected a model that reflects population aging, productivity changes due to the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI), changes in working conditions, and the possibility of decreased medical utilization," and "Rather than reflecting all the projection results, we made a policy judgment considering medical school education conditions and the cultivation of quality personnel."
The Minister said, "Depending on the perspective, the size of the increase may seem large or small," and added, "Please understand that about 75% of the level indicated by the selected projection model has been reflected."
Once the total expansion scale is finalized, the ministry will begin allocating quotas to 32 universities outside Seoul. The following is a Q&A with the Minister Jung and Vice Minister Choi Eun-ok of the Ministry of Education, Gwak Sun-heon, Health and Medical Policy Director at the ministry, and Jang Mi-ran, Director of Medical Education Support.
—Is there any chance universities will actually reduce their intake in next year's admissions?
"This time, with an increase of 490, we see little likelihood that universities will propose voluntary reductions as they did last year. Currently, about 6,000 students in the classes of '24 and '25 are receiving education, and universities have been improving conditions accordingly. However, we will receive each university's plan, evaluate it, and check whether it is carried out."
—What are the allocation criteria for newly established medical schools and regional doctor slots?
"The output from newly established public medical schools is 400, and from newly established regional medical schools is 200. For the existing 32 medical schools outside the capital area, 490 will be allocated in the first year, considering educational conditions and overlapping class years. The quota will vary by year, averaging about 660 annually, and about 700 based on actual output."
—Are educational conditions sufficient to handle the increase?
"The 'doubling' of the '24 and '25 classes (a phenomenon in which students who took leaves in protest of the medical school expansion returned and take classes alongside freshmen) is the biggest challenge. Students begin clinical rotations starting with the 2027 academic year. The facility improvement plans submitted by universities will apply beginning with the 2029 academic year. The government will check whether facility improvements are implemented, and in this allocation process we will evaluate and reflect those plans."
—How will the allocation procedure proceed after the 2027 academic year?
"Allocation by university will begin in March and be finalized in April. Each university must revise its academic regulations and submit its 2027 recruitment numbers to the Korean Council for University Education by the end of April, and KCUE will publish the early admission guidelines reflecting this by the end of May."
—How will quotas be assigned at national universities of different sizes, such as Kangwon National University, Chungbuk National University, and Jeju National University?
"For national universities, if the existing quota is 50 or more, an increase of up to 30% of the current quota is allowed; if fewer than 50, up to 100% is allowed. For private universities, the cap is 30% for 50 or more and 20% for fewer than 50. Within this range, we will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of each university's faculty and facility conditions and board plans to make the final allocation.
Kangwon National University and Chungbuk National University fall under fewer than 50, and Jeju National University, as a small national university, is subject to the 100% cap. We considered both region-by-region population-proportional demand and the cap criteria, and for Jeju and the Gyeonggi–Incheon region alike, the initial population-proportional allocation scale was reflected in the final decision."
—Was there unanimous support for the expansion plan?
"The president of the Korean Medical Association Organization left the room right before the vote. There was one vote against the government plan, and all the others were in favor. Minister Jung Eun-kyeong, as the Chairperson, did not participate in the vote."
—How will you respond to the possibility of collective action by the medical community?
"The medical community has participated in both the projection committee and the adjustment review and has presented its views. The medical community is conducting its evaluation and review of the agreement. We plan to discuss not only the quota issue but also other medical agendas together. It is difficult to answer regarding the possibility of collective action at this time; we will proceed with maximum communication and explanation."
—What are the prospects and timeline for establishing public and regional medical schools in 2030?
"In the adjustment review, there was consensus to reflect a separate quota, given that a member-initiated bill on public medical schools has been introduced and it is included in national policy tasks. As it is not possible to enroll students immediately, we calculated the figures assuming 2030 enrollment. There was no concrete discussion about the feasibility of establishment itself.
If the bill on public medical schools passes and preparations are made, we believe additional intake will be possible in 2030. For the newly established regional medical school, a quota of 100 has been allocated with the goal of opening in 2030, and we aim to select the region and the school within this year. Annual budgets will be needed to expand faculty and facilities thereafter. However, the specific timing of finalization has not yet been set."
—When will the region be selected?
"It is difficult at this stage to specify, as multiple factors must be considered."
—Will the regional doctor system apply to newly established medical schools after 2030?
"The newly established medical schools under review are being discussed in the form of national universities under the Higher Education Act. In that case, under the Act on Fostering and Supporting Regional Doctors, the provision to select a set proportion as regional doctors will apply."
—What about the bill on a safety net for medical accidents?
"Since the burden of medical accidents is one of the factors deterring essential medical care, a safety net that protects both patients and medical professionals is necessary. We are preparing a revised bill by combining those introduced in the National Assembly, and we plan to gather opinions from patient groups and the medical community."
—Why was prosecution limitation omitted from the proposed amendments to criminal procedures?
"Several related bills have been introduced, and special provisions on limits to prosecution are also under discussion. Taking into account issues raised by some patient groups, the government will prepare an alternative during the National Assembly deliberations."
—What is the significance of this expansion decision?
"The key is clarifying the purpose of the expansion and applying the regional doctor system to all additional slots so they can be used as essential and public medical personnel. This time, a projection committee with a legal basis was formed, and conclusions were reached after multiple discussions with a majority participation from the medical community. The adjustment review also made its decision based on scientific evidence and social consensus after seven meetings."