In a significant development, South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has announced that medical schools will have the autonomy to set their own admission quotas starting next year. This decision, which has raised hopes of resolving tensions in the medical field, came after a government meeting on April 19 aimed at ending a prolonged strike by over 9,000 resident doctors.
The government has agreed to allow 32 universities to increase their enrollment targets flexibly, with annual increases ranging from 50% to 100%, starting in 2025. This decision aligns with the proposal put forward by six national medical schools seeking to reduce enrollment targets by 50% next year due to concerns about inadequate training facilities.
Prime Minister Han described the decision as a step towards finding a compromise amidst a lack of consensus in the medical community. He emphasized the importance of protecting medical students, normalizing education, and resolving conflicts that have arisen. The strike by resident doctors had caused disruptions in medical services across the country and had escalated as medical students and professors also joined the protest. The government responded by revoking practice licenses and considering criminal sanctions against striking doctors.
The core issue of the strike was the government’s plan to increase the number of medical school students, which protestors believed would compromise the quality of care and increase healthcare costs for patients. However, with predictions suggesting a shortfall of at least 10,000 doctors by 2035 due to an aging population and demand for medical professionals in crucial sectors such as public health and nursing care, increasing targets is essential to address these challenges.