Overview

• The Korean Medical Association and medical student groups announced they will return to campus to support efforts to restore academic and clinical training
• The joint statement did not specify a date for the resumption of classes
• They called on the president, government and parliament to establish a task force that includes all stakeholders to design long-term reforms in medical education and training
• Early last year, thousands of trainee doctors and students walked out in protest against a plan to add 2,000 new medical school spots over concerns that increased admissions could undermine education quality
• After widespread strikes, authorities reversed the expansion and froze the 2026 enrollment quota at roughly 3,000 but student boycotts persisted until the new agreement