[Yoon Seok-yeol Impeachment] Medical Students and Residents' Return in 'Fog'... Medical Reform May Drift

A New Phase in Medical-Policy Conflict Presents Opportunities,
But Next Year's Medical School Quota May Spark Another Clash
Discussions on Licensing System for Private Practice and Opening the Cosmetic Market Return to Square One

The impeachment of former President Yoon Seok-yeol and the ensuing presidential election phase are expected to significantly impact the ongoing medical-policy conflicts that have lasted for over a year. The government must finalize next year's medical school quotas within this month, but the momentum for implementing the healthcare reform plans pursued by the Yoon administration is inevitably lost.

On the 21st of last month, the deadline set by some medical schools including Yonsei University, Korea University, and Kyungpook National University for returning approached, and students were moving at Yonsei University College of Medicine in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. 2025.3.21. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

Will Medical Students and Residents Return?

For now, the medical-policy conflict triggered by the increase in medical school quotas last February has recently reached a turning point after about a year, due to the successive return movements of medical students. The Ministry of Education has stated that it will decide whether to revert next year's medical school admission quota to the pre-increase number of 3,058 after confirming students' actual participation in classes. They consider not just registration but also attending classes properly and earning credits as a return, so the decision on the 2026 academic year's medical school admission quota is expected only after mid-month. If a significant number of students do not properly attend classes and effectively take a 'leave of absence after registration,' next year's medical school admission quota could revert to the existing quota of 5,058.

From the 2027 academic year quota onward, the number will be determined by the Medical Workforce Supply and Demand Estimation Committee. At this stage, it is difficult to predict whether the Korean Medical Association (KMA) will recommend members to the committee and participate or simply accept the committee's decisions as is.

Regarding residents who resigned and have not returned to training hospitals, there is hope they might return during the second half resident recruitment in July-August. However, some non-returning residents have already enlisted in the military, and many have found employment as general practitioners in private clinics, so it is uncertain how many will return to training hospitals.

Meanwhile, as public inconvenience and harm due to medical service gaps continue, public distrust toward medical students and the medical community has increased. Therefore, in the presidential election phase, candidates from both ruling and opposition parties may advocate for stronger healthcare reforms. However, since the exhausting debates caused by medical-policy conflicts are a significant burden on society, presidential candidates and the next government are expected to seek solutions that minimize potential clashes with the medical community.

Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyu-hong and Second Vice Minister Park Min-su are attending the Health and Welfare Committee plenary session held at the National Assembly on the 14th. 2025.2.14 Photo by Kim Hyun-min

Weakening Momentum for Healthcare Reform

Last April, the government formed the Presidential Commission on Healthcare Reform and has been pursuing various reform tasks to strengthen essential and regional healthcare. As a result, in August last year, it announced the first implementation plan, including structural transformation of tertiary hospitals, and last month, it released the second implementation plan covering fostering regional secondary hospitals, reforming non-reimbursable and indemnity insurance, and prosecuting mainly gross negligence in essential medical accidents.

However, discussions planned by the Healthcare Reform Commission afterward are likely to stall. For example, the so-called 'Licensing System for Private Practice,' which requires a certain period of training before opening a clinic to secure independent clinical competence, will not be pursued at this stage. The management system for the cosmetic market also remains undefined.

The problem is that during the presidential election phase, candidates from both sides may propose policies opposed by the medical community to gain votes. The medical community is particularly concerned that issues such as establishing new regional medical schools, public medical schools, and public hospitals may be included in election pledges. Establishing new medical schools inherently means additional increases in medical school quotas.

Immediately after former President Yoon's impeachment was confirmed, the KMA stated in a press release, "We hope that the acceptance of the impeachment will lead to the suspension of misguided healthcare policies pursued by the Healthcare Reform Commission and a rational re-discussion of the medical school quota increase and essential healthcare policy packages." The KMA also emphasized that the current government must prioritize resolving the medical corruption scandal during its remaining term and "must discuss this process with expert organizations."

The Korean Association of Medical School Professors, composed of medical school professors, demanded, "The government should stop unilaterally enforcing healthcare policies disguised as 'healthcare reform' and pursue reasonable healthcare policies through dialogue with the medical community," and "stop oppression of medical students and residents and seek solutions to normalize medical education and restore the healthcare system."

Patient organizations have argued that a medical environment that respects patients' fundamental rights must be established. Ahn Ki-jong, chairman of the Patient Organizations Federation, said, "The unprecedented medical situation in Korea, where patients' lives are threatened due to medical-policy conflicts despite no fault of their own, has occurred because domestic healthcare is not patient-centered," and urged, "The government and all political parties must normalize healthcare and promptly create a medical environment where patients receive timely and appropriate treatment."