Medical Community: "Do Not Interfere with UIPA"... Ministry of Education: "Aim to Maintain Quality of Education"

31 Medical School Professors Condemn Ministry of Education
Ministry of Education: "Confirmed According to Procedures"
Overseas Korean College Admissions Begin from Today

A coalition of 31 medical school faculty organizations, including Seoul National University College of Medicine?which has the so-called 'Big 5' hospitals as training hospitals?issued a statement condemning the government for infringing on the independence of the Korea Institute of Medical Education and Evaluation (KIMEE), which evaluates and accredits the quality of medical education. In response, the Ministry of Education attempted to soothe concerns by stating that their goal is to maintain the quality of medical education.

On the 8th, Choi Yong-su, chairman of the Emergency Committee of Sungkyunkwan University College of Medicine professors, said in a joint statement from the emergency committees and faculty associations of 31 medical schools distributed to the media, "The Ministry of Education must stop interfering with and controlling KIMEE." He also urged the Ministry, saying, "Officials responsible, including Vice Minister Oh Seok-hwan, who led efforts to disparage and insult the KIMEE president and the expert group responsible for medical education evaluation and accreditation, should apologize and promise to prevent recurrence."

The statement was supported by professors from 31 medical schools, including the emergency committees of Catholic University College of Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University College of Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, and Ulsan University College of Medicine. The emergency committee of medical school professors pointed out that "During a briefing on the 4th, the Ministry of Education did not hide its intention to control and manipulate KIMEE, the medical education evaluation and accreditation body, according to the Ministry’s preferences," referring to a recent official letter sent when re-designating KIMEE as the recognized accreditation body for medical schools.

They also requested that a forum for dialogue with medical school professors be established even now.

Official document from the Ministry of Education containing reassignment conditions.
[Photo by Choi Yong-su, Chairman of the Emergency Committee of Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine]

In response, at a regular briefing at the Government Complex Sejong on the same day, the Ministry of Education explained, "The goal of maintaining the quality of medical education is shared by both the government and the medical community," adding, "There may be misunderstandings, but we will seek common ground."

Shim Min-cheol, Director of Talent Policy Planning at the Ministry of Education, stated, "At the briefing on the 4th, Vice Minister Oh said, 'We will discuss with KIMEE going forward to improve medical education and its quality,'" and added, "According to reports from medical professional journals, KIMEE President Ahn Deok-seon also expressed that he accepts this as a commitment to support medical education."

Shim further explained, "The university admission procedures related to medical schools for the 2025 academic year have been finalized according to legally prescribed procedures. We hope this is fully understood."

According to the Ministry of Education, out of 40 medical schools nationwide, 10 began accepting applications on this day for the 2025 academic year special admissions for overseas Koreans and foreigners, marking the official start of medical school admissions. Twelve medical schools operate this admission process, and the remaining two are expected to begin accepting applications soon.