The Ministry of Education noted on the 25th that it is conducting a survey to understand medical students' intentions to return.
The Ministry of Education stated that it aims to confirm students' willingness to participate in classes by consulting with the Korea Association of Medical Colleges and Medical Graduate Schools (KAMC) and gathering anonymous feedback from students.
The survey is reported to allow participants to choose ‘yes’ or ‘no’ regarding their intention to return to classes by the end of this month.
The Ministry of Education reduced the number of medical school admissions for the 2026 academic year from 5,058 to 3,058 on the 17th, while urging medical students to return; however, the number of students returning is still not significant.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Lee Ju-ho said at a National Assembly education committee meeting that morning regarding the return of medical students, “The actual increase in the number of students returning is still minimal, so we continue to have discussions,” while noting, “I hear that the atmosphere is changing somewhat.”
The Ministry of Education believes that while most medical students are eager to return to classes, they are unable to participate due to involuntary reasons.
The Ministry of Education expressed hope that the survey would serve as a catalyst for students to participate in classes based on their voluntary intentions.