The government wants to boost medical school admissions by 2,000 from the 2025 academic year, against a current annual figure of about 3,000, and eventually add 10,000 more by 2035.
South Korea has one of the lowest doctor-to-population ratios among developed countries. President Yoon Suk-yeol said the government would not back down over the “necessary” reforms, which he described as an essential measure to prepare for caring for the country’s fast-ageing population.
But doctors have voiced fierce opposition to the plan to sharply raise medical school admissions, claiming it would hurt the quality of service. Proponents of the plan say doctors are mainly concerned the reforms could erode their salaries and social status.