Ruling Party: "Preparing to Align with Nationwide Medical School Expansion Admission Schedule"

People Power Party Regional Essential Medical Innovation TF 1st Meeting
Yoo Ui-dong "Scale Must Be Confirmed by January Next Year"
Further Discussion Needed on Specific Scale and Details

The People Power Party's Regional Essential Medical Care Innovation Task Force (TF) urged on the 23rd that the government prepare thoroughly for the decision to appropriately increase the number of medical school admissions.

Yu Eui-dong, chairman of the Policy Committee and head of the TF, said at the first meeting of the Regional Essential Medical Care Innovation TF held at the National Assembly on the same day, "Since it takes 10 years to produce one doctor, the issue of increasing medical school admissions cannot be delayed any longer," adding, "Considering the entrance exam schedule, the number of admissions must be finalized by January next year, so we hope the government will decisively determine the appropriate increase."

Yu Uidong, Chairman of the Policy Committee of the People Power Party, is speaking at the 1st meeting of the Regional Essential Medical Innovation TF held at the National Assembly on the 23rd. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Chairman Yu stated, "Last year, 700,000 patients from local areas traveled to the metropolitan area for medical treatment, and we must prevent stories such as 'emergency room round trips,' 'pediatric open runs,' 'medical tourism for childbirth,' and 'if you don't go to Seoul, you can't get treated' from continuing," urging, "The Korean Medical Association should also not ignore the public's suffering and inconvenience but work together to revive regional essential medical care."

At the meeting, the Ministry of Health and Welfare reported on the progress of policies for regional and essential medical care innovation. According to the demand survey results for expanding medical school admissions announced by the Ministry on the 21st, the number of new students that 40 medical schools nationwide hope to increase (based on the 2025 academic year) ranges from a minimum of 2,151 to a maximum of 2,847. Additionally, a public opinion poll commissioned by the National Health and Medical Workers' Union to the polling agency Sudden Post, conducted from the 4th to the 6th among 1,000 adult men and women nationwide, revealed that 8 out of 10 citizens support increasing the number of doctors to foster regional essential medical care.

After the meeting, Chairman Yu told reporters, "This is the amount each medical school responded they could increase, so the specific outline is not yet clear." He added, "Since our country's population structure is declining, increasing admissions now may not be appropriate," and said, "We will consider and deliberate on the overall situation."