Seoul: The health ministry has announced a strategic plan to gradually increase the admission quota for medical schools by an average of 668 students annually until 2031. Under this newly unveiled plan, the number of medical students is expected to rise significantly, reaching 3,548 in 2027 and 3,671 in 2028 and 2029, up from a quota of 3,058 in 2026.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the increase will target the regional doctor track at 32 medical schools located outside Seoul. These institutions will see their collective quota grow by 490 in 2027, by 613 in both 2028 and 2029, and by 813 in 2030 and 2031. Additionally, starting in the 2030 academic year, both a public medical school and a regional medical school will be established, each with an enrollment capacity of 100 new students. This development is expected to elevate the total medical school quota to 3,871.

The previous administration led by Yoon Suk Yeol had substantially increased the quota by 2,000 for the 2025 academic year, raising it to 5,058. However, concerns about the swift expansion led some schools to adjust their admissions, resulting in a nationwide total of 4,567 admissions for that year. Historically, the medical school quota has seen significant fluctuations, peaking at 3,507 in 1998 before being reduced to 3,058 in 2006 due to policy changes concerning the separation of prescribing and dispensing medicine.

The decision by the former government to increase the quota had previously sparked a prolonged walkout by trainee doctors across the nation.