40% of Medical Students Take 'Effective Leave of Absence'... 777 Increase Over Two Days

Refusal of Classes at 6 Locations

The number of 'valid' leave of absence applications by medical students opposing the government's policy to increase medical school admissions surged to nearly 800 over two days.

According to the Ministry of Education on the 17th, a survey conducted over two days from the 15th to the 16th targeting 40 medical schools nationwide showed that the number of 'valid leave of absence applications' was 777 from 11 schools. Six students withdrew their previously submitted leave applications from 2 schools.

As a result, the cumulative number of valid leave of absence applications reached 7,594. This accounts for 40.4% of the total enrolled medical students nationwide (18,793 as of April last year). Valid leave of absence applications are those submitted following the procedures stipulated by school regulations, including parental consent and department head signatures.

Until last month, the Ministry of Education simply counted all submitted leave applications. The total number of medical students who submitted leave applications, including duplicates, reached 13,697. However, starting this month, only valid leave of absence applications are being counted. The Ministry requested each university to reject leave applications that did not follow the proper procedures, considering them meaningless.

Medical staff are moving at a large hospital in Seoul. Photo by Jo Yongjun jun21@

The number of valid leave of absence applications increased by single or low double digits daily throughout this month, then surged to 511 on the 12th, 98 on the 13th, 771 on the 14th, and continued to rise sharply through the 15th and 16th. In five days, 2,157 valid leave applications were submitted.

The sudden increase in valid leave applications by medical students appears to be the result of their resolution to enforce a 'collective leave of absence.' The Korean Medical School Student Association (KMSA) unanimously passed a motion at an emergency general meeting on the 9th, stating that "all 40 units will request the school to approve leave applications on the date when the first school approves them."

The Ministry of Education's stance is that even if formal requirements are met, "collective leave of absence is not a valid reason for leave and should not be approved." According to the Ministry, no leave applications have been approved on the grounds of collective leave so far.

Classes have been boycotted at six universities. The Ministry reported that these schools are making efforts to maintain normal academic operations through student counseling and explanations.

A traffic light near a medical college in Seoul is showing a red light. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

If class boycotts continue, students may face collective failure. According to most medical school regulations, if a student is absent for one-third or one-quarter of the class days, they receive an F grade. Receiving an F grade in even one subject results in repeating the year.

To prevent such situations, universities have postponed the start of classes for clinical-year students, originally scheduled for February, to early this month or have continued suspending classes immediately after the semester began.

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