Prime minister kim min-seok on sunday welcomed medical students' decision to return to school after a 17-month boycott of classes in protest of the previous government's medical reform plan as a "big step forward." an association of medical students announced saturday they will return to school after boycotting classes since february last year in protest of the previous yoon suk yeol administration's plan to increase medical school enrollment by 2:eok on Sunday welcomed medical students' decision to return to school after a 17-month boycott of classes in protest of the previous government's medical reform plan as a "big step forward." An association of medical students announced Saturday they will return to school after boycotting classes since February last year in protest of the previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration's plan to increase medical school enrollment by 2,000 starting this year.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Prime Minister expressed relief over the decision, stating on his Facebook page that it marks significant progress. He assured the public of his commitment to finding a resolution to the issue. "President (Lee Jae Myung) also has contemplated a solution and instructed me and the government to find ways to address it. What the people wants will matter," Kim added.

The education ministry had earlier announced that 8,305 students in 40 medical schools nationwide would face grade retention, requiring them to repeat the same academic year alongside younger students. While the government later reversed course and decided to return the 2026 quota to the original level of approximately 3,000, many trainee doctors and medical students have not fully resumed their roles in hospitals and schools.