Presidential Office: "No Change in Position on Medical School Expansion... No Plans to Replace Deputy Minister of Health"

"Han Dong-hoon, CEO, Unrelated to Party's Opinion"
"Always Maintained a Consistent Position"

President Yoon Suk-yeol is speaking at the Cabinet meeting held on the 27th at the Yongsan Presidential Office Building in Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The Presidential Office reaffirmed that its position remains unchanged regarding the proposal by Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People Power Party, to postpone the increase in medical school quotas in 2026.

On the morning of the 28th, a Presidential Office official met with reporters at the Yongsan Presidential Office and stated, "The Presidential Office's stance on medical reform is consistent," adding, "Regardless of Leader Han's or the party's opinions, our position has always been consistent."

The official introduced President Yoon Suk-yeol's concluding remarks at the Cabinet meeting the previous day, saying, "To enhance South Korea's competitiveness, we must utilize the entire national territory," and "To establish an era of local governments, living conditions are necessary, and these include education and healthcare."

He continued, "If the education and healthcare systems are not properly established, there will be no hospitals to go to even if severe illnesses occur, so who or which companies would want to live there?" and added, "It was a setting where the importance of these two reforms was explained."

Earlier, Leader Han proposed a mediation plan to the Presidential Office to suspend the increase in medical school quotas for the 2026 academic year, but the Presidential Office and the government maintained the principle that the plan should proceed as scheduled.

Leader Han also stated on his social media the previous day, "In 2026, it would be an unreasonable situation to educate 7,500 students in one grade, including the previous year's increase of 3,000 students," and "Considering this, I proposed postponing the increase for one year as an alternative."

Meanwhile, the Presidential Office official also addressed rumors within the ruling party about the replacement of Park Min-su, Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, saying, "There has been no consideration whatsoever."