South Korea reverts 2026 medical school quota to previous level

The South Korean government announced Thursday that it would freeze the medical school admissions quota for the 2026 academic year at 3,058 students — rolling back last year’s 2,000-place expansion that triggered classroom boycotts and mass walkouts by junior doctors.

The decision was made with "careful consideration," according to Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Lee Ju-ho, accepting university leaders’ calls to normalize medical education despite falling short of the government’s previously set condition for restoring the original quota.

The government asked for the full return of medical students and training doctors as a prerequisite for backing down on its medical school quota expansion policy.

The move aims to “restore normalcy in medical education,” which has been disrupted for over a year due to nationwide walkouts by students protesting government proposals, according to Lee.

The government had increased the quota to 5,058 in a bid to address the country’s physician shortage, but has reverted to the 2024 level due to concerns over prolonged academic disruption.

Despite setting the full return of striking medical students as a condition for quota adjustment, the Ministry of Education acknowledged that actual classroom participation remains low.

As of early April, the average attendance across all 40 medical schools stood at just 25.9 percent, with only four universities reporting over 50 percent participation.

“Although the current participation level fell short of expectations, we respect the unified recommendation from university presidents and deans to proceed with the adjustment for 2026,” said Lee. “It is time to shift our full focus toward stabilizing education.”

Despite the quota rollback, the government stressed there would be no further leniency.

“Some students may be expecting flexible academic policies, but let me be clear: There will be no special measures for medical students,” Lee said. “Universities will apply school rules strictly, as they would to any other department.”

Lee also warned students delaying their return that they may face consequences in the form of delayed or denied access to coursework and clinical training.

“If students do not return now, they may not be able to rejoin education when they wish, or may not receive the instruction they require,” he cautioned, specifically referencing concerns over the growing overlap between multiple incoming cohorts due to widespread academic leave — a phenomenon being labeled the “tripling effect.”

Lee emphasized that the current adjustment applies only to the 2026 academic year and is not indicative of long-term policy. He reiterated that academic leniency would not be granted again this year, unlike in 2024, and that students refusing to attend classes would face academic penalties such as being held back.

The decision follows a yearlong standoff between the government and medical students protesting the quota expansion, which led to mass class boycotts, campus shutdowns and fears of delayed medical licensing and doctor shortages. While most students have now formally reregistered, many remain reluctant to attend classes, citing ongoing dissatisfaction with government policy.

University presidents and deans have repeatedly urged the government to prioritize educational continuity

“This freeze removes the last obstacle to student return,” said Yang Oh-bong, president of Chonbuk National University and co-chair of the Association of Deans for Medical College Advancement.

“I sincerely call on all students to return to campus and fulfill their dreams of becoming doctors.”

Lee Jong-tae, chair of the Korean Association of Medical Colleges and Graduate Schools, thanked the government for its “bold decision,” but acknowledged that many students still remain absent. “The responsibility lies with us to restore public trust,” he said. “Medical education is not merely an academic exercise, but a duty entrusted by society.”

The government reiterated that while the 2026 quota is now set, future quotas will be decided through a formal medical workforce supply and demand forecasting body established by law.

“With this announcement, we hope to bring closure to the social debate over next year’s medical school admissions and focus our collective energy on stabilizing education and advancing meaningful health care reform," Lee said.

With the government backing down on its expansion plan, questions remain over whether presidential hopefuls will risk raising the politically sensitive and complex issue of medical reform during the campaign.

Ahn Cheol-soo has so far been one of the few politicians publicly raising the issue as a presidential candidate. He said he would "finish the revolution of the era" with his experience having previously been a doctor, scientist and entrepreneur, and criticized the government's decision to expand the quota without "proper understanding and communication with medical sectors."

Hong Joon-pyo, ex-Daegu mayor, urged students to return to class without a clear policy suggestion, adding that he is against an extreme hike in enrollment quota despite the need to increase the number of doctors.