Professors at National Universities Nationwide Request Government to Further Adjust Medical School Quotas

The Federation of Professors' Associations of National Universities (Geogukryeon) conveyed to the government that the expertise of the medical and educational sectors, as well as the university autonomy stipulated in the Constitution, must be preserved, and requested an additional adjustment to the medical school quota.

A medical staff member is walking past a statement posted by the Seoul National University College of Medicine and Hospital Professors' Association Emergency Committee at Seoul National University Hospital.
[Photo by Kang Jin-hyung]

On the 9th, Geogukryeon stated in a press release, "We do not oppose the government's reform policies, nor do we agree with some medical organizations' unilateral demand to reconsider the original increase in quotas," but added, "However, the procedural legitimacy of medical reform must be upheld. We hope the government will not be fixated on the medical school quota target and will respect court rulings and decisions of each university to make additional adjustments to the quota."

They continued, "The medical school quota should be reasonably adjusted regardless of the 2025 medical school quota increase, based on a detailed analysis of each university's infrastructure by a credible medical education evaluation agency."

They also emphasized the need to simultaneously address population measures and entrance exam system reforms. Geogukryeon said, "Increasing the medical school quota alone cannot strengthen essential medical capabilities," and added, "The government should implement population decline and regional extinction countermeasures alongside medical reform, and through a public-private consultative body, reform youth education and entrance exam systems to resolve various issues, including field and metropolitan area concentration."

Furthermore, they stressed, "We ask residents and medical students to promptly return to the field for the sake of the public and patients."