[The Era of Medical Student Cartels] ① They Organized Silently

Over a Year of Collective Leave Against the 2,000 Student Quota Increase Policy
Turning to "Refusal to Attend Classes After Return" Amid Warnings of Failing or Expulsion
Professors Advising Students Face Harsh Criticism from Their Own Students

Editor's NoteSince February last year, residents who left hospitals in protest against the government's medical school expansion policy have not returned for two years. Medical students who followed their seniors in boycotting classes and taking collective leaves of absence have largely accepted the government's and universities' warnings of failing or expulsion by formally returning for now, but the possibility of continuing their struggle through re-leaves and class boycotts remains. Even if the medical school scene barely appears to normalize, the collective nature of the medical students and the impact of their power are unlikely to fade easily. Asia Economy analyzes in six parts how and why they can unite tightly like a 'cartel.'

On the afternoon of the 19th of last month, at Korea University College of Medicine located in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. Unlike the campus atmosphere filled with the excitement of a new semester, silence pervaded inside the medical school building. In the empty corridors, only a few people wearing white coats, presumed to be professors and administrative staff, passed by occasionally. In a spacious study room, only one student was quietly reading a major textbook alone.

At a similar time, Kyung Hee University in Dongdaemun-gu showed a similar situation. Passing through groups of students laughing and chatting brightly at the main gate, the number of people noticeably decreased as one approached the medical school building. In a cafe located on one side of the quiet medical school lobby, a staff member was killing time alone without any customers. Going up to the second floor, only the convenience store was brightly lit among the darkened classrooms.

On the 19th of last month, a student is studying alone in a study room inside the Korea University College of Medicine in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. Photo by Choi Taewon

Last month on the 19th, in front of the Kyung Hee University College of Medicine building in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, there was such silence that no one was passing by. Photo by Choi Taewon

On the 21st of last month, which Yonsei University, Korea University, Kyungpook National University, and others set as the 'deadline' for medical students to return to classes, books were left in the hallway of the lecture rooms at Yonsei University College of Medicine in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, with no one passing by. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

It has been 1 year and 2 months since medical students began taking leaves of absence in line with the protest stance of their seniors, including residents. After a long struggle, most chose the path of 'returning for now,' but few believe the situation is completely resolved. Depending on future movements in the medical community, new types of protest tactics they might employ still remain.

Medical students neither hold rallies nor protests on campus, nor do they voice their opinions through official channels. They only share opinions, express anger, and plan collective actions in KakaoTalk group chats organized by each medical school or in anonymous communities accessible only to doctors. Their harsh criticism of medical school professors' persuasion and appeals to return to school was also expressed through online bulletin boards and internet article comment sections. This form of protest by medical students is sometimes likened to the Chinese neologism 'Tangping' (lying flat and doing nothing).

Most medical students from the classes of 2024 and 2025, contacted by Asia Economy, revealed that they naturally participated in collective actions upon entering school. A 2024 medical student at a Seoul-based medical school, Mr. A, explained, "As soon as I was admitted, the government announced plans to increase medical school quotas by 2,000, and after hearing from seniors that increasing doctors would cause other problems rather than saving local healthcare, I decided to take a leave of absence." Mr. A did not deny that there was implicit coercion and persuasion that 'everyone must participate together to achieve the greater good' rather than individual judgment.

He said, "At first, when even residents were resigning one after another, I thought the situation would end in a month or two, and with government inducements like approval of leaves and special training exceptions for residents, I believed the flawed expansion policy would soon be withdrawn. But as leaves continued into the second semester and the class of 2025 entered, the division between those participating in leave as allies and those not as traitors became clearer," he lamented.

The class of 2025, admitted after the medical school expansion, felt even greater pressure to join the leave of absence amid the glare of 'benefiting from the expansion.' The reality is more vividly revealed in cases reported to the Ministry of Education's 'Medical School Student Protection and Reporting Center.'

"Before even having an entrance ceremony, I received an online vote notice about participating in the leave of absence, which was a signed vote requiring my name and contact information. Although I felt leave was not the best option, seeing posts criticizing students attending classes on the community made me fear being ostracized, so I eventually agreed. Seeing my child suffer severe depression and loss of appetite, staying only in the dorm room to avoid appearing to attend classes near the school, breaks my heart as a parent." (Parent of a 2025 medical student)

"At first, the survey about leave participation was conducted anonymously in the group chat. But the next survey changed to require entering student ID and name. Seniors said they would never force leave, but in reality, they are coercing. I don't know what to do in this situation." (2025 medical student)

Meanwhile, statements from the doctor community 'MediStaff' leaked externally, worsening public opinion. Excessive remarks such as 'I feel nothing if a Chosun person dies in the emergency room' and 'More people must die for doctors to receive gratitude and respect' stirred resentment toward doctors and medical students. The police launched an investigation into the act of creating and publicly releasing a blacklist containing personal information of residents who returned to hospitals, mocking them as 'true doctors.'

On the 17th, four professors from Seoul National University College of Medicine, including Professor Kang Hee-kyung of the Department of Pediatrics, issued a statement criticizing medical students and residents who have not returned, saying, "It is utterly arrogant to expect expert treatment with just a medical license." This sparked even harsher criticism within the medical community. Online communities were filled with comments like "Do they want to see their students because they want to pass on duty shifts?" and "Can they treat well while meddling in politics?"

Ultimately, as the end of March, the final deadline set by the government and universities to revert next year's expansion to zero, passed, the medical students' return to classes remains uncertain. Opinions ranging from "Let's avoid expulsion by paying tuition but not attending classes" to "Since they can't expel all medical students at once, let's all refuse enrollment" and "Male students should enlist in the military first" have caused confusion with various tricks and hardline measures.

During this process, when some medical students urged participation in enrollment refusal and encouraged 'non-registration certification' in group chats, the Ministry of Education requested a police investigation. Since students who do not certify are effectively considered not participating in the allied leave, this becomes a means to pressure those applying for reinstatement.

A medical school professor pointed out, "Students believe that all 40 medical schools nationwide must act together to achieve their demands such as reverting expansion and withdrawing the essential medical package. However, according to school regulations, they cannot refuse classes indefinitely, and moreover, revealing personal information of students who want to attend or causing anxiety is very violent."

Controversy over 'fairness' between medical students and other students has also been raised. Despite most medical students having refused classes without permission for over a year since February last year, the government's postponement of academic schedules and accommodations for them is difficult for non-medical students to understand.

B, a student at an engineering college in Seoul, said, "I somewhat understand why medical students started collective leave, but seeing the government and universities being pushed around by them makes me wonder if they are a privileged class different from us. If only failing or expulsion of medical students is 'forgiven,' this is ignoring and discriminating against other university students," raising his voice.