[Polpol News] 'Let's Reconsider Expanding Medical School Quotas' 52% vs 'Let's Increase as Planned' 41%

NBS Poll
President Yoon Seok-yeol's Approval Rating Steady at 27% as Two Weeks Ago

More than half of the public think that the expansion of the number of doctors should be 're-discussed.' President Yoon Suk-yeol's approval rating for his administration remained in the high 20% range.

According to the National Barometer Survey (NBS) conducted by Embrain Public, K-STATS Research, Korea Research, and Hankook Research from the 2nd to the 4th of this month, surveying 1,001 men and women aged 18 and over nationwide via mobile phone interviews, 52% of respondents answered that "the decision on whether to expand the quota should be reconsidered after gathering opinions from the Medical Association and experts." Meanwhile, 41% responded that "the quota should be expanded from next year as currently planned."

As the medical gap prolongs, the number of large hospitals suspending emergency room operations is increasing. On the 2nd, an emergency patient visiting a hospital in Seoul waited at the hospital's main entrance. The patient, who arrived at the hospital by ambulance that day, waited about 10 minutes at the main entrance before being guided by medical staff to move inside. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

The response that "the expansion of medical school quotas should be reconsidered" was higher among supporters of the Democratic Party of Korea (71%) and the People’s Innovation Party (80%). The response that "the quota should be expanded from next year as planned" was higher among supporters of the People Power Party (67%). Amid conflicts between the medical community and the government, concerns about medical service gaps such as emergency room closures have spread, which is interpreted as weakening public support for increasing medical school quotas.

Regarding President Yoon Suk-yeol’s performance in office, the positive response rate remained at 27%, the same as two weeks ago. Negative evaluations rose by 3 percentage points to 66%. Before the general election, President Yoon’s approval rating fluctuated between the low and high 30% range, but after the election, it plummeted to the high 20% range. At the end of July, the approval rating showed signs of recovery by reaching 30%, but it has since remained in the high 20% range again. The lowest approval rating since President Yoon’s inauguration was 26%, recorded in the second week of July.

In terms of party support, the People Power Party’s support rate fell by 4 percentage points to 27%, while the Democratic Party’s support rate dropped by 3 percentage points to 26%. The People’s Innovation Party’s support rate rose by 3 percentage points to 12%.

Regarding the ruling and opposition party leaders’ meeting, 22% of respondents said it was a productive meeting, while 55% said it was unproductive.

For detailed survey results, please refer to the website of the Central Election Survey Deliberation Commission.