32 med schools in KOR confirm their admission quota

expected to rise by 1550 seats

KCUE is scheduled to disclose the medical school admission quota by university on May 2

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo chaired the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters Meeting regarding the doctors' collective…discusses allowing doctors holding additional positions

"If the medical community brings forward a single proposal, the discussion on the expansion scale beyond the 2026 academic year is possible"

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo.

The 32 medical schools that were assigned increased medical admission quota from the government confirmed their final medical admission quota for the 2025 academic year.

 

After withdrawing the initial announcement of increasing the medical school admission quota to 2,000 students, the government allowed universities to adjust their intake autonomously.

 

As a result, the expansion of the 32 medical schools is anticipated to be around 1,550 students.

 

The Korean Council for University Education (KCUE) plans to review changes to next year's college admissions process, including medical school admission quotas submitted by each university.

 

It will notify the universities of the decisions by the end of this month.

 

On May 1st, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo chaired the "Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters Meeting regarding the doctors' collective" at the Government Complex Seoul.

 

During the meeting, he stated, "The 32 medical schools across the country that have increased their quotas have determined the admission quotas for the 2025 academic year and submitted them to the KCUE." The nine regional national universities have decided to reduce 50% of the previously allocated expansion quotas and recruit accordingly.

 

Most private universities have decided to fully utilize the expansion quotas or reduce them slightly by 10 to 20 students.

 

If Soonchunhyang University, Dankook University, Konyang University, and Cha University, which have not disclosed the exact expansion size, decide to recruit 100% of the allocated expansion quotas, the total number of medical school admissions for next year is estimated to be around 1550.

 

According to Han, the KCUE is scheduled to disclose the results of each university’s medical school admission quota on May 2nd.

 

"The President and the main opposition party leader had a long conversation on Monday regarding national affairs.

 

They discussed the medical school expansion and healthcare reform in particular," Han said.

 

"This reflects the support and desire for healthcare reform." "The government will continue communicating effectively with the National Assembly throughout the healthcare reform process," Han added.

 

"We strongly encourage the medical community to engage in dialogue with the government actively." "If the medical community brings forward a scientific and rational single proposal, the discussion on the expansion scale beyond the 2026 academic year is possible," Han said.

 

"However, it is regrettable that another group of hospital professors plans to go on strike this Friday," he added.

 

“While patients feel anxious, some professors say they are to leave their side,” Han said.

 

“I urge medical school professors to continue to stay by the patient's side as they have done so far, and residents and medical students should also return now,” Han emphasized.

 

The Prime Minister also suggested that they plan to discuss allowing doctors to hold additional positions at 119 emergency centers and metropolitan emergency medical situation rooms to respond to emergency patients.

 

Han explained, "We are working to immediately improve regulations in the medical field to allow general practitioners to treat patients in emergency rooms of other medical institutions and permit trauma center specialists to provide emergency room and inpatient care outside their centers." "Today at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting, We will discuss ways to facilitate cooperation between universities and hospitals to ensure swift approval for doctors who wish to work in 119 emergency centers and metropolitan emergency medical situation rooms, thereby enhancing emergency patient response capabilities," Han added.