Medical Student Leave of Absence Approved Without Proof... "Not an Alliance Leave Approval" (Comprehensive)

Ministry of Education Explains at Press Briefing on 30th
"Simplifying Approval Process for Personal Leave of Absence
Not Recognizing Alliance Leave of Absence," Emphasizes

The Ministry of Education has decided to approve leaves of absence for medical school students who continue to take collective leaves, based on the universities' autonomous judgment. When questions arose suggesting that this was effectively accepting the medical students' allied leave of absence, the government clarified that it was not an approval of allied leave but a simplification of the leave approval process based on individual reasons. However, since no separate evidence or documentation is required during the leave approval process, it seems difficult to avoid criticism that "the government has yielded to the medical community."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 30th, the Ministry of Education held a press briefing to explain the background of allowing universities to approve leaves of absence applied for personal reasons autonomously, in order to normalize medical school academics recently. Previously, on the day before, Lee Ju-ho, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, held a video conference with presidents of 40 universities operating medical schools and made this decision. This came 23 days after the Ministry of Education announced on the 6th that it could approve medical students' leaves of absence "on the premise of returning in the 2025 academic year."

The government emphasized that autonomous approval of leaves of absence is not approval of "allied leave." Shim Min-cheol, Director of Talent Policy Planning at the Ministry of Education, said at the briefing, "Universities shared the perception that collective action and allied leave are not justified, but there were difficulties in verifying normal individual leaves of absence," and explained, "What we accepted was that when approving leave for personal reasons, the method and procedure are not prescribed by the Ministry of Education but left to the universities to handle according to their own procedures." He added, "Our stance on allied leave has not changed from the past to now. We still cannot allow it if allied leave is taken."

He also evaluated that this measure could have a positive impact on students' return. Director Shim said, "According to some university staff, although not many, there is a possibility that a very small number of students will return due to this measure," and added, "If leave is approved autonomously, the scale is unpredictable, but I think some students may return."

Measures to prevent disruption in medical education caused by a mix of returning students and increased new admissions were also left to the universities' autonomy. If leave approval is granted this year, the number of students on leave can be considered the maximum number eligible to return next year. Director Shim explained, "Universities will consider the number of students on leave and next year's new students, and decide appropriately whether to divide classes or gather large lectures, and plan the curriculum accordingly," adding, "Currently, the planning and operation of university education courses are left to the universities, and no additional measures are being considered." Regarding the controversial curriculum shortening plan for medical schools, such as the 5-year system, he added, "Depending on the case, all 40 medical schools may implement it, or only one or two may do so while others do not. We have no intention to interfere with universities; it is a matter of autonomous operation."

Although the Ministry of Education emphasizes that this is not approval of allied leave, it is expected that the view that the government has stepped back depending on the scale of university leave approvals will be unavoidable. Since all procedures such as required evidence documents and return signatures for approving personal leave have been simplified, criticism is expected that allied leave cannot be distinguished from personal leave. The Ministry of Education stated that it will discuss how to handle the already processed leaves of absence at Seoul National University, which received a high-intensity audit for approving medical students' one-semester leave en masse, and resolve the issue accordingly.