2 November 2023
By Daeun Lee
Recently, the South Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare announced the decision to increase the number of medical school slots, arousing fierce conflicts between the Korean Medical Association.
At this moment, it is assumed that the government would confirm an increase of at least “1,000” medical school slots, however, they chose not to specify any number in their announcement and possibly range up to 3,000 additional spots. The medical association issued a stern warning, saying that they would go on a total strike if the government decided to expand medical school without the association’s consent. Later, in response to the government’s announcement, the stance of the medical association appears to have softened somewhat. The medical association expressed some relief on the matter, as the government’s specific details about the slot increase were not provided, and positively evaluated the government’s policy aiming at preserving regional healthcare. Notably, the announcement did not mention the “medical school slot increase” issue verbally.
The controversy surrounding this issue reveals the strength of the Presidential Office’s determination to address the healthcare challenges facing the nation and to deal with the public atmosphere towards the issue. While the exact number of medical school slots and further developments are still being discussed, it is confirmed that any changes will be implemented for the 2025 academic year.
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