Increasing Number of Medical Students Applying for Leave of Absence... 13,698 in Ten Days

227 Additional Leave of Absence Applications Submitted... Nationwide Enrollment Reaches 72.9%

It has been revealed that the total number of medical students nationwide who have submitted leave of absence applications in protest against the government's plan to increase medical school quotas has reached 13,698.

According to the Ministry of Education on the 29th, as of 6 p.m. the previous day, a total of 227 medical students from three schools submitted leave of absence applications, and two students from two schools withdrew their leave requests. At two schools, leave was approved for two students, but this was not related to the collective leave in response to the medical school quota increase.

Amid the ongoing strong confrontation between the government and the medical community over the increase in medical school admissions, medical staff are moving at a large hospital in Seoul on the 29th, the government's deadline for residents who left hospitals to return. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

On the 19th, 1,133 students; on the 20th, 7,620 students; on the 21st, 3,025 students; on the 22nd, 49 students; over the weekend from the 23rd to the 25th, 847 students; on the 26th, 515 students; and on the 27th, 282 students, a total of 13,698 students applied for leave over ten days. This corresponds to approximately 72.9% of the 18,793 enrolled medical students nationwide as of April last year.

However, the Ministry of Education stated that the number of valid leave applications as of that day was 5,056. This figure excludes withdrawn or rejected applications and represents about 26.9% of the total enrolled medical students.

On that day, class refusal was confirmed at six schools. The Ministry of Education said, "We have urged the respective universities to actively persuade and communicate with the students, and emphasized that if the class refusal continues, strict academic management will be enforced according to school regulations."

The Ministry of Education plans to expand the number of medical professors at key national universities to 1,000 by 2027 and, if necessary, will further reinforce staffing considering on-site demand.

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