Medical Students' Alliance Leave 'D-day'... 1,133 Students from 7 Schools Apply for Leave (Comprehensive)

Medical Students' Collective Action in 2000 and 2020
"No Past Cases of Mass Failing, but Concerns Over Intern Shortages if Students Are Failed"

In response to the government's plan to increase the number of medical school students and the essential medical package, medical students nationwide have entered a 'collective leave of absence.' Among the 40 medical schools nationwide, about 1,000 students from 7 schools have applied for leave, and if the collective action continues in the form of 'class refusal,' there is a possibility that participating medical students could be collectively failed. Medical students have previously taken collective action in opposition to the 2000 separation of drug prescribing and dispensing and the 2020 increase in the number of doctors, but these actions ended before leading to mass failure.

On the 20th, the Ministry of Education announced that as of 6 p.m. the previous day, 1,133 leave applications had been submitted from 7 medical schools, and collective actions such as class refusal were confirmed at 7 schools. Some schools are simultaneously submitting leave applications and refusing classes. Of these, 4 leaves were approved: 2 for military leave and 2 for personal reasons. All were approved in compliance with school regulations and procedures, and there was no approval for 'collective leave,' according to the Ministry of Education. A Ministry of Education official stated, "At the universities involved in the (collective action), efforts are ongoing through meetings with student representatives and explanations to students and parents to ensure normal academic operations," adding, "The Ministry of Education has urged each university to strictly manage collective actions such as class refusal according to school regulations and to ensure normal class operations."

Since the agreed start date for the collective leave of absence by medical students is today, the number of leave applications is expected to increase further. Earlier, the Korean Medical School and Graduate School Student Association (KMSA) held emergency committee meetings on the 15th and 16th and resolved to begin the collective leave on this day. The Konyang University Medical School Emergency Response Committee (TF) posted on SNS, "We will unite and enter the collective leave of absence with KMSA starting from the 20th," adding, "For now, we will pause studying briefly to raise our voices and focus on reclaiming important values. Once the situation is resolved, we will return to school."

About 190 medical students at Chungbuk National University reportedly expressed their intention to refuse classes to the school the day before the semester started, ahead of the collective leave. The 160 medical students at Wonkwang University Medical School, who were the first to submit collective leave applications, withdrew their leave the previous day but may resubmit leave applications today to align with other medical schools.

Medical students have previously taken collective actions such as leave of absence in opposition to government medical policies. In 2020, medical students who conducted a collective leave of absence opposing the government's increase in medical school admissions returned to school after 38 days when the government launched a permanent health and medical policy monitoring body. However, a 'mass failure' situation did not occur. Due to the impact of COVID-19, the processing and withdrawal periods for leave applications were longer than usual, and some universities adjusted academic schedules by extending semesters so that students could meet attendance requirements and advance.

Medical students who took collective action opposing the 2000 separation of drug prescribing and dispensing also avoided mass failure. At that time, medical students refused classes for about two months in a 'failure protest.' In some universities, the refusal to meet the legally required number of class days nearly led to failure, but students returned to classes just before that point. Professor Baek Sun-young, emeritus professor at the Catholic University Medical School, explained, "As far as I know, there has never been a case where medical students were mass failed due to collective action," adding, "If a mass failure of medical students occurs, it would lead to a shortage of interns and a subsequent manpower shortage, which is problematic."

In the case of Korean Medicine schools, there is a precedent where students were collectively failed due to collective action. In 1993, 3,153 Korean Medicine students were failed for one semester each after refusing classes in protest against the government's amendment to the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act enforcement regulations, which allowed pharmacists to prepare and sell herbal medicines.

This year’s collective action by medical students is also expected to proceed as a 'collective leave of absence,' but according to the Ministry of Education's policy that 'collective leave of absence cannot be considered a valid reason for leave,' it may proceed in the form of class refusal. Although school regulations vary by university, in some medical schools, if the number of absences exceeds a certain level, such as one-fifth of class days, grades are marked as F, which affects failure.

The Ministry of Education is operating a situation response team to prepare for medical students' collective actions. A Ministry of Education official said, "Universities that do not properly enforce school regulations may be subject to corrective orders and other measures according to relevant laws."