Doctors Claiming "Hungarian Medical School Qualification Deficiency" Lose Administrative Lawsuit

A domestic medical association filed a lawsuit arguing that graduates of Hungarian medical schools should not be recognized as eligible to take the national medical licensing examination, but the court dismissed the case.

Seoul Administrative Court.

According to the legal community on the 2nd, the Seoul Administrative Court Administrative Division 2 (Presiding Judge Shin Myung-hee) dismissed the lawsuit filed by the Association of Doctors for a Fair Society against the Ministry of Health and Welfare, which sought confirmation of defects in the certification requirements for foreign universities.

The court stated, "This is not a lawsuit concerning legal relations caused by administrative dispositions," and dismissed the case on the grounds that the requirements for litigation were not met.

In March of last year, the Association of Doctors for a Fair Society filed an administrative lawsuit arguing that graduates of four Hungarian medical schools should not be recognized as eligible to take the national medical licensing examination in Korea.

According to data received by Rep. Shin Hyun-young's office of the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee from the Korea Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute, a total of 409 candidates from overseas medical schools have taken the national medical licensing exam over 23 years since 2001, with Hungary accounting for the largest number at 119. The Philippines followed with 106 candidates.

If a person graduates from a foreign school recognized by the Minister of Health and Welfare and obtains a medical license abroad, they can become a doctor by passing the domestic national medical licensing examination.

The Association of Doctors for a Fair Society claimed that Hungarian universities lack academic regulations such as admission qualifications, admission quotas, and graduation requirements, and that all regular courses are conducted in English rather than Hungarian. They argued this does not meet the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s notification standards in Korea.

The association also pointed out that "doctors who graduated from domestic medical schools are being deprived of opportunities for training and specialty selection and are disadvantaged in employment," and highlighted that Hungary issues medical licenses to Korean students on the condition that they are prohibited from practicing medicine within Hungary.

The Association of Doctors for a Fair Society appealed the first-instance court ruling.

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