A petition has been filed with the National Assembly demanding a parliamentary investigation into the process, by which the decision to increase the medical school enrollment quota by 2,000 was made and implemented.

More than 18,000 people agreed with the petition within a day of its filing.

On Wednesday, the Medical Professors Association of Korea registered the petition, asking the National Assembly to conduct a probe to find out the truth behind the policy to increase the number of medical school students by 2,000. The petition, titled “Request for a national investigation to find out the truth about the policy to increase the number of medical school seats by 2,000,” has received 18,015 responses as of 10 a.m. Thursday.

The association said that a national investigation should be conducted to make clear the decision-making process for increasing the number of medical school students by 2,000. To do this, it said, the status of the healthcare development plan, the discussion and decision-making process of the medical workforce expert committee, the healthcare policy review committee, the medical issues council, and the minister of health and welfare's decision and implementation of the 2,000 increase should also be clarified.

It added that the process of allocating the 2,000 additional students to each medical school should also be identified. It said that the process of discussing and deciding on the medical school quota allocation committee, determining the number of seats that reflect educational conditions, and deciding on the number of seats for each university should be clarified.

It also argued that the government should scientifically prove the “shortage of 15,000 doctors in 2035,” which it claimed was the basis for increasing medical school students by 2,000. In addition, the association claimed it is necessary to clarify the judicial process for specialties announced by the government, including the order to maintain and open a practice, the order not to accept resignation letters, and the policy not to allow trainee doctors’ return in March 2025.

The association also asked for clarification on the government's policy of prohibiting medical students from taking leave of absence, the Ministry of Education's attempts to infringe on the independence of the Korean Institute of Medical Education and Evaluation (KIMEE), the status of preparing educational conditions for the expansion of medical schools and securing related budgets, measures to prevent doctors and medical students from not returning, and measures to establish a consensus body.

“The government's unprecedented, ultra-fast expansion of 2,000 medical school students, which is unprecedented worldwide, is driving the medical field and medical education into disruption,” the association said. “The National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee hearing in June revealed that the 2,000-student expansion was a ‘three-no policy’ -- no consultation, no basis, and no preparation.’”

The association stressed that the public and the next generation of doctors suffer the most from this reckless policy. It added that university hospitals in the provinces and Seoul have collapsed and cannot accept new medical students for next year. The government is also intimidating the KIMEE and facilitating the deterioration of medical education.

“A parliamentary investigation is needed now to find out the truth about the decision to enroll 2,000 more students and the process of implementation that triggered the crisis to prevent further disruption and find a solution,” the association emphasized.

A separate petition requesting a hearing targeting the Ministry of Education on the medical school student increase policy has been referred to the Assembly’s Education Committee, with 50,000 signatures as of 7 a.m. on Wednesday.