Government: "Medical Students Themselves Refuse National Medical Exam... No Additional Test" (Update)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] On the 10th, the government drew a clear line regarding the medical school professors' group urging the government to prepare measures for medical students who refused to take the national medical licensing examination (Kuksi), stating, "There is no agreement on additional exams for medical students."

Son Young-rae, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Welfare, announced this at a regular briefing held at the Government Complex Sejong on the same day.

When about 90% of medical students expressed their intention to refuse the national exam in protest against the expansion of medical school quotas on the 31st of last month, the government postponed the exam start date from the 1st to the 8th of this month and extended the re-registration deadline for the exam until midnight on the 7th.

Spokesperson Son said, "The students refused (to take the exam) of their own free will," adding, "We reiterate that the medical community's demand for the government to consider additional exams while students are voluntarily refusing the exam is not possible."

The Korean Association of Medical School Professors stated in a position paper on the same day, regarding the government's obligation to conduct a full additional exam according to the medical-government agreement, "It is somewhat regrettable that explanations and understanding from the public are lacking. Considering that granting an additional opportunity for the national exam involves controversies over fairness and equity, we ask for the public's understanding on this matter."

Regarding concerns that the refusal of medical students to take the national exam could cause problems in manpower supply, Spokesperson Son responded, "We are currently establishing measures to minimize manpower gaps through appropriate reassignment, role readjustment, and expansion of personnel."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.