South Korean universities approve the first increase in medical admissions in 27 years

Seoul, May 24 (EFE).- The South Korean University Admissions Council approved this Friday an increase in the admission fee for medical schools starting in 2025, the first increase of this type in 27 years, which would seek to address the shortage of professionals in this sector in rural areas or essential fields.

During a meeting this Friday, the council, an association of university presidents, approved an increase of 1,469 additional admission places at 31 universities with medical schools, which represents an increase in all but one school.

Together with the increase of 40 places at Cha University, which is not part of the group, the total increase in admissions will be 1,509, which will raise the total number of places in the country’s medical schools to 4,567, according to details collected by the local news agency Yonhap.

Today’s decision comes after the conservative Yoon Suk-yeol’s Executive announced on February 20 a plan to increase places in medical schools by 2,000 a year, as part of a broader medical reform that has generated strong protests and important strikes in the country.

Finally, the universities have opted for a lower figure in the face of resistance from professionals in the sector, especially intern doctors, of whom around 90% still remain on strike against the measure.

The Government argues that it is necessary to increase annual places in medical schools to address the shortage of doctors, especially in rural areas and in areas such as pediatrics, obstetrics or cardiothoracic surgery.

But the doctors denounce that the decision has been unilateral and that the increase should be 350 places so that it does not affect the quality of training and service, and that it should be invested in certain areas and the legal protection of health workers should be reinforced.

The Asian country has not increased the number of places in Medicine in 27 years and is one of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) with the lowest number of doctors per 1,000 inhabitants (2.46), only behind Mexico, Poland, Colombia and Turkey.

Following this Friday’s decision, the universities will make the official announcement about the number of places offered at the end of May, making the increase in fees final and irreversible.