Professors from medical schools filed a lawsuit against the government, requesting the cancellation of the increase in admissions, but the court dismissed the case. This is the first ruling among the lawsuits filed by the medical community against the government's plan to increase medical school admissions.
The Seoul Administrative Court's 11th Administrative Division, led by Director General Kim Jun-young, dismissed on the 21st the lawsuit filed by representatives of the Association of Professors of 33 medical schools against the Minister of Education and the Minister of Health and Welfare, demanding the cancellation of the 'increase in admissions.' Dismissal means the case was concluded without deliberation because the requirements for a lawsuit were not met.
The court stated, "Medical school professors do not have standing to demand the cancellation of the admission increase for the 2025 academic year." It continued, "The Minister of Health and Welfare's announcement of the increase in medical school admissions is merely a public declaration of the administrative agency's decision" and that "the specific legal effects of the increase in admissions for each medical school arise according to the allocation by the Minister of Education."
Previously, the medical community, including the Association of Professors of 33 medical schools, filed a lawsuit and a motion for suspension of enforcement in response to the government's announcement of a 2,000-student increase in medical school admissions. The suspension of enforcement application was already rejected by the court. This case went up to the Supreme Court, which also deemed that only medical students have the right to apply for a suspension.
The representative for the professors argued during the first hearing held on the 14th of last month that "there is no scientific evidence for the increase of 2,000 students, and no consultations were held with the medical community," claiming that "the professors' right to education has been infringed."
However, in the main lawsuit that followed the suspension of enforcement case, the professors' standing was also not recognized. The court explained, "They are not direct parties to the decision on the allocation of increased admissions, and as university professors, their interests are not direct and specific legal benefits protected under the laws governing the basis for the allocation of increased admissions."