Presidential office reaffirms stance on medical school admissions increase, rejects ruling party’s proposal for 1-year delay

The office of President Yoon Suk-yeol reaffirmed Wednesday that there has been "no change" in its stance on pushing for the increase in medical school admissions for the 2026 academic year. 

During a press briefing at the Yongsan presidential office, an official said, "Regardless of the party's stance, the presidential office has always maintained a consistent position." 

The announcement follows an attempt by Han Dong-hoon, chair of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), to mediate the ongoing conflict over expanding medical school seats by proposing a one-year delay in the admissions increase in 2026. The proposal, submitted through Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and Health and Welfare Minister Cho Kyoo-hong to the presidential office, was ultimately rejected.

An official from the presidential office further clarified that the proposal was not formally considered, and government policy remains unchanged.

PPP leader Han had initially raised the idea at a high-level party council meeting on Sunday, expressing concerns about the potential impact on the healthcare system, which is already strained by ongoing disputes between the government and the medical community. The controversy has led to widespread walkouts by trainee physicians, leaving hospitals understaffed.

According to local news reports, PPP leader Han’s proposal to pause the planned increase in medical school seats was not put forward as an official agenda item but was instead an attempt to prevent a potential collapse of the healthcare system due to prolonged political conflict. A party official said that while the rejection was not formal, Han is likely weighing his next steps carefully.

News reports imply that Han’s proposal and its rejection underscore his growing role in addressing Korea’s deepening political and healthcare crises. As tensions continue to rise, his actions signal a broader push to find solutions in an increasingly volatile situation.

The proposal aimed to address the immediate issue of a significant increase in student admissions in 2025. Han explained the background of the proposal when he posted on Facebook saying, “In 2025, we considered the unreasonable situation of having to educate 7,500 students in one grade, including the increase due to the shortage of 3,000 students in the current class.”

Currently, most of the first-year medical students (3,191 students) are taking a leave of absence and refusing to take classes in response to the increase in medical school seats. If they have to attend the first-year classes in 2025, next year's class will be comprised of about 7,500 medical school students, including the increased number of new students, so it is necessary to slow down the pace, Han said.

Prime Minister Han publicly confirmed at a luncheon with reporters that Han’s proposal was reviewed but ultimately not accepted. Sung Tae-yoon, director of national policy at the presidential office, also acknowledged that while the suggestion was made informally, it did not progress to formal consideration.

When PPP leader Han met with reporters after a visit to the National Assembly on Wednesday and was asked about the proposal to suspend medical school enrollment for the 2026 academic year, he said, “It would be inappropriate to talk about the details as it is in the discussion stage.”

Amid the controversy, the Korean government's push to expand medical education for the first time in nearly 30 years has thrown the nation’s healthcare system into disarray. 

The initiative, revealed in February as a crucial part of broader healthcare reforms, has sparked opposition from the medical community, leading to widespread walkouts by trainee physicians that have left hospitals dangerously understaffed.

“We need a solution to maintain the essence and momentum of healthcare reform, but also to ease people's anxiety about the absolute value of national health,” PPP leader Han said, adding that “it would be better if there is a better alternative.”

The crisis has escalated rapidly. Trainee doctors across the country have resigned en masse, crippling emergency rooms and forcing some to limit operations or shut down entirely. Teaching hospitals, struggling to recruit new residents despite extended application deadlines, report having just one or two applicants—a warning of the long-term damage to Korea’s healthcare infrastructure.

Lim Hyun-taek, president of the KMA, has taken the protest to a new level, launching an indefinite hunger strike. He has demanded that President Yoon, whose approval rating has plummeted to 27 percent amid the crisis, halt the expansion plan and restore normalcy to the healthcare system.

Observers warn that a failure to resolve the standoff, now in its seventh month, could lead to a total collapse of the healthcare system—and potentially, the end of the Yoon administration itself.