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A medical school in Seoul is pictured on April 17, the day the government officially announced that the number of medical school admissions for the 2026 academic year will be set at 3,058. / Source: Yonhap News

The South Korean government has officially set the number of medical school admissions for the 2026 academic year at 3,058, effectively rolling back a key part of its healthcare reform initiative. The decision has sparked criticism from patient advocacy groups, who claim the move confirms long-standing concerns that the government cannot stand up to the medical establishment.

On April 17, Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Lee Ju-ho announced the revised quota during a press briefing at the Government Complex Sejong. The announcement came just over a year after the government had declared plans to raise the number of medical school admissions by 2,000—setting the 2025 quota at 4,567 and the target at 5,058.

Minister Lee admitted the new quota fell far short of the "full return" condition previously set by the government. He said the decision was made after serious deliberation and in response to strong appeals from university presidents and deans of medical schools, who emphasized the urgency of restoring normal education in medical programs.

“We sincerely apologize to the public for raising concerns about a possible retreat from healthcare reform,” said Lee. “It is true that the level of student participation in classes remains below what we had outlined in March. However, the expansion of medical school admissions must be grounded in the delivery of quality education. It is crucial to normalize medical education now so that the system for training physicians does not come to a complete halt.”

Despite the government’s intent to resolve ongoing social conflict stemming from tensions with the medical community, the decision has been criticized as a de facto surrender. By backing down on its initial expansion plans—even in the absence of a full return to class by medical students—the government is seen by many as setting a precedent of yielding to pressure.

The Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice (CCEJ) slammed the move, stating, “Freezing the medical school quota without achieving the condition of full student return by March is a confession of a secretive backroom deal between the government and the medical community, and a white-flag surrender.”