Presidential Office: "Seoul National University Alliance Leave Approval, Dean's Arbitrary Act... Is This Appropriate for a Professor?"

"No Unconditional Leave of Absence"
"Last Efforts to Bring Back Medical Students"
Regarding Next Year's Medical School Expansion, "The Bow Has Already Been Released"

Jang Sang-yoon, Senior Secretary for Social Affairs at the Presidential Office, is giving a briefing on urgent medical situation issues on the 19th at the Presidential Office building in Yongsan, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The Presidential Office criticized Seoul National University College of Medicine on the 4th for recently approving a collective leave of absence by medical students, calling it "an arbitrary act by the dean of the medical school" and stating, "It is not something to be decided solely as a university professor or dean." Regarding the issue of expanding medical school quotas next year, they maintained their existing stance that "the arrow has already been released," indicating no plans to reverse the increase.

Jang Sang-yoon, Senior Secretary for Social Affairs at the Presidential Office, said this during an interview on SBS Radio's 'Kim Tae-hyun's News Show' that morning. Jang stated, "A leave of absence is something a student applies for and gets approved when unavoidable reasons arise during their studies or due to personal circumstances," adding, "Taking a collective leave of absence without any individual reasons is not a leave of absence, which is why it has been blocked."

He continued, "When I checked with the (Seoul National University) president, I was told that the dean has been unreachable since a week ago," and pointed out, "If leave approvals are granted en masse to 780 out of 800 students, wouldn't education become impossible? Wouldn't that mean giving up?" He mentioned that to encourage the medical students' return, flexible academic operation plans such as intensive classes during the winter break are being prepared, and said, "We plan to continue efforts to bring them back until the very last moment."

Regarding Health and Welfare Minister Cho Kyu-hong's expression of "regret and apology" to resigning residents, Jang said, "It was merely an expression of regret by the minister in charge over residents who should be in training sites but are lost and wandering, nothing more and nothing less." He clarified that it was not an apology for the government's medical reform. Jang added, "It does not mean the policy was wrong or that there were problems in the process; it was just an expression of sorrow over the current situation."

On the issue of the 2025 academic year quota, Jang said, "Since early admissions are underway and much of the college entrance procedures are already in progress, the decision has effectively been made regardless of the agenda discussions." Regarding the medical community's demand that if the government does not withdraw the 2025 medical school quota increase, it should guarantee a reduction in 2026, he responded, "If that is proposed, we can put it on the table from scratch and calculate together."

Jang emphasized, "If the government's scientifically based proposal to increase by 2,000 is incorrect, then provide a new answer, whether it is 1,500 or 1,000," and added, "The previously proposed Physician Workforce Supply and Demand Estimation Committee by the government also includes a majority of experts recommended by the medical community, showing a message that we are ready to fairly calculate the quota."