Overview

• Medical students announced their return to campus after nearly 17 months of boycotting classes over a plan to boost medical school admissions by 2,000 seats.
• The Korean Medical Association and parliamentary education and welfare committees backed the students’ decision and urged the formation of a task force for long-term education and training reforms.
• The government froze the 2026 medical school admission quota at about 3,000 following the protests, but many trainee doctors have not yet resumed their hospital duties.
• The Education Ministry imposed grade retention on 8,305 students across 40 medical schools as a penalty for their participation in the class walkouts.
• Prime Minister Kim Min-seok called the announcement a “big step forward” and pledged to collaborate with parliament on a lasting resolution.