The government noted on the 7th that if medical students return in March, the number of medical school admissions for the 2026 academic year will be set at 3,058. This is to revert the medical school admissions numbers back to what they were before the transfer increase, accepting the demands of deans and university presidents.
The Ministry of Education announced a plan for student return and normalization of medical school education on this day. This is based on the premise that medical students who left school for over a year in protest against the increase in medical school admissions will return in March. Each university will proceed with the process of changing the number of medical school admissions for the 2026 academic year to 3,058 once the medical students return. If the medical students do not return, the admissions number for the 2026 academic year will remain at the existing quota of 5,058, which is an increase of 2,000. The government plans for the admissions number for the 2027 academic year to be determined by the Medical Manpower Supply and Demand Estimate Committee.
This year, the medical school will have around 7,500 students attending classes at once, including approximately 3,000 first-year students who took a leave of absence last year and 4,500 new students enrolling this year. Generally, the pre-med program focuses on theoretical and liberal arts courses, while the main courses emphasize practical training. Universities plan to open sub-classrooms or secure additional faculty members, considering the size of classrooms. They are also reviewing plans to enable students who enrolled last year to graduate one semester earlier than the new students.
The government will not take any separate measures for the return of medical students this year. If medical students refuse to attend classes or engage in collective actions, they will be dealt with according to each university's regulations, including academic warnings, failure, or expulsion. According to the government, students are required to participate in classes unless there are unavoidable reasons such as illness, pregnancy, or military service.
Earlier, the Korea Association of Medical Colleges and Medical Graduate Schools (KAMC), composed of medical school deans, proposed to revert the number of admissions for the next academic year back to the transfer number of 3,058. The Council of Presidents for the Advancement of Medical Schools, made up of presidents of 40 universities with medical schools, also reached an agreement on this matter on the 5th. The government reportedly made a decision to accept this during a closed meeting the previous day. Deputy Minister of Social Affairs and Minister of Education Lee Joo-ho said, "I hope medical students will return to where they belong, trusting the government and their schools."