Ministry of Education on Medical School Quota Increase Legal Controversy: "Consulted with Ministry of Health and Welfare... Not Illegal"

Professors' Council: "Unconstitutional as No Opinion Was Gathered, Violating Constitutional Principles"
Government: "Policy Decision by Minister of Health and Welfare According to the Health and Medical Services Act"

The Council of Professors from 33 medical schools nationwide filed a lawsuit against the government, requesting the cancellation of the decision to increase admission quotas. In response, the Ministry of Education stated that "the expansion of medical school quotas is a health and medical policy decision made by the Minister of Health and Welfare pursuant to Article 24 of the Framework Act on Health and Medical Services."

On the afternoon of the 8th, immediately after the 'Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters for Doctors' Collective Action' meeting, the Ministry of Education explained through a press reference that "the Minister of Education determines the quota size for each medical school in consultation with the Minister of Health and Welfare in accordance with the Enforcement Decree of the Higher Education Act."

Officials from the Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice held a press conference on the 5th near the Presidential Office in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, urging the medical community to stop illegal collective actions, expand medical school quotas, and for the government to respond strictly. Photo by Jo Yongjun jun21@

This statement refutes the Council's earlier claim that "the Minister of Health and Welfare has the authority to enforce the Medical Service Act but does not have the authority to decide on increasing university admission quotas under the Higher Education Act, making this quota increase decision null and void due to lack of authority." They also argued that "the quota increase decision by the Minister of Health and Welfare and others is unconstitutional as it violates the constitutional principle of due process by not consulting the directly affected parties, including medical school professors, residents, and medical students."

In response, the Ministry of Education emphasized that "although the principle is to announce the university admission selection plan 1 year and 10 months before the admission year, changes can be made through deliberation by the Korea Council for University Education (KCUE) in cases of 'exceptional reasons' as defined in Article 33 of the Enforcement Decree of the Higher Education Act." They added, "The medical school quota increase falls under the 'adjustment of quotas for university structural reform,' which is one of the exceptional reasons under the Enforcement Decree," and "after allocating quotas to each medical school, the 2025 university admission selection plan can be amended through the appropriate procedures."

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education announced that as of the 7th, valid leave of absence applications were submitted by 11 students from 8 medical schools. The cumulative number of valid leave applications received by the previous day was 5,435, which is about 28.9% of the total medical school enrollment of 18,793 students. However, the actual number of medical students who submitted leave applications is higher. The Ministry excludes applications that do not meet requirements such as parental consent from the count.

There are 10 medical schools confirmed to have class refusals. A Ministry of Education official stated, "These schools are making efforts to conduct normal academic operations through student interviews and explanations."

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