Ministry of Health and Welfare: "Medical School Expansion Already Confirmed... Collective Action Is Meaningless"

"Matters Related to Enrollment Increase for 2025 Are in the Past
Let's Discuss Medical Reform Tasks at the Medical Reform Special Committee"

The government responded to the Korea Medical Association's (KMA) warning that they would start a "big fight" from June by saying, "Collective action is meaningless when the medical school admission quota for next year has already been finalized."

Jeon Byeong-wang, the 1st Controller of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, said at a briefing on doctors' collective action held at the Government Seoul Office that day, in response to reporters' questions about the "possibility of a medical sector strike," "The medical sector is opposing the increase in medical school admissions for the 2025 academic year and is making various claims through the withdrawal of residents and others. However, the admission quota for the 2025 academic year has already been finalized, and collective actions such as strikes that cause inconvenience to the public are meaningless."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The KMA held candlelight rallies in six regions nationwide, including Seoul, the day before, criticizing the government's increase in medical school admissions.

Im Hyun-taek, president of the KMA, did not announce plans for collective actions such as a "general strike," but said, "From June, we will start a big fight against the medical sector's manipulation in earnest. The professors of medical schools have willingly agreed. Now, private practitioners and employed doctors must also actively join this big fight."

Controller Jeon said, "The increase for the 2025 academic year is a matter of the past," and urged the medical sector, "Let us discuss medical reform tasks together through the Medical Reform Special Committee's expert committee."