The Increase in Medical School Admissions Surprised the Semiconductor Industry...Foreign Media Warns of the Temptation to Reject Engineering Admissions [Semiconductor Talent 'Each Country for Itself']⑦

Request to Increase Medical School Admissions by 3,401
Semiconductor Department Sees Consecutive Enrollment Withdrawals
"Encouraging Students to Become Doctors Rather Than Engineers"

As the application for medical school quota increases surpasses 3,000, the semiconductor industry is deeply concerned. The more the medical school quota expands, the higher the possibility that students admitted to semiconductor contract departments will be drawn away by overlapping admissions to regional medical schools. There are even voices warning that the domestic semiconductor industry is facing a crisis of being staffed by foreigners.

On the 6th, the scale of medical school quota increase requests submitted by universities to the Ministry of Education reached 3,401, far exceeding the maximum of 2,847 from the demand survey conducted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare at the end of last year. If the medical school quota expands, the likelihood of students entering advanced departments will relatively decrease.

Already, most students who were admitted to major semiconductor departments in Seoul universities through this year's regular university admissions have declined to enroll. According to Seoul National University, 26% of the successful candidates in the Computer Engineering Department's regular admissions this year did not register for the first regular enrollment. In contrast, not a single student gave up admission to Seoul National University College of Medicine.

The same trend is seen at Yonsei University and Korea University. According to Jongno Academy, in the regular admissions for Yonsei University's System Semiconductor Engineering Department, which has a contract with Samsung Electronics, 55 students including additional successful candidates declined to enroll. The enrollment decline rate (non-registration rate) reached 220%. Yonsei University's Computer Science Department, which admits 35 students, also had a regular enrollment decline rate of 182.9%. The Display Convergence Engineering Department, linked with LG Display (non-registration rate 85.7%), and the Semiconductor Engineering Department, contracted with SK Hynix (non-registration rate 100%), are in similar situations.

Foreign media are also taking this issue seriously. Bloomberg recently pointed out problems in Korean society, analyzing that "the Korean government's plan to significantly increase medical school quotas is encouraging more top-tier students to prepare to become doctors rather than engineers who make semiconductors." Bloomberg criticized that "many Korean students refuse to enter Korea's top engineering universities that guarantee employment at Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, tempted by better job security and higher salaries in the medical field."

In the context of intensified global semiconductor competition, securing abundant semiconductor majors is crucial to maintain a technological super-gap. Especially, the shortage of manpower is considered a serious problem as it causes disruptions in semiconductor production. Already, Taiwan's TSMC postponed the operation start of its factory being built in Arizona, USA, by one year to 2025 due to the inability to secure skilled personnel capable of installing advanced equipment.

Another industry insider said, "Since the business is expanding by continuously increasing factories, the influx of abundant semiconductor majors is essential," adding, "If the current situation continues, it will be difficult to guarantee the future of our country's semiconductor industry."

Although foreigners are mentioned as an alternative to the manpower shortage, they can never be a long-term solution. One official said, "Even if it takes time, it is necessary to create a social atmosphere where science and engineering talents can have a sense of mission."

Domestic semiconductor companies such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are actively working to secure talent by holding semiconductor special lectures for high school students. The strategy is to recruit high school students who will lead the future semiconductor industry before university admission.

An industry official pointed out, "We will continue efforts to nurture semiconductor experts from teenagers to outstanding university talents," emphasizing, "To maintain leadership in the semiconductor industry, national capabilities must be concentrated on cultivating high-level semiconductor personnel."