South Korea seeks breakthrough to tackle health crisis

The South Korean government has welcomed and agreed to the ruling People's Power Party's (PPP) proposal on September 6 to establish a four-party consultative body comprising the government, the ruling PPP, the opposition Democratic Party (DP), and the medical community, to jointly seek solutions to the ongoing medical crisis related to the increase in medical admission quotas.

The South Korean presidential office said it is willing to start discussions “from scratch” regarding the 2026 enrollment quota if the medical community offers a reasonable option, suggesting the government’s latest stance is more flexible as it is willing to discuss enrollment options without preconditions or a fixed plan in talks with the medical community.

This also means that the government may not stick to its plan to increase the quota to 2,000 medical students per year within five years, depending on negotiations with the medical community.

The South Korean government has previously held the view that it could discuss adjusting medical school admission quotas from 2026 to bring interns and residents back to hospitals, many of which are struggling with severe staff shortages.

However, the Korean medical community believes that the government's adjustment in stance is not enough and that the government should cancel the entire plan to increase the quota starting from 2025.

The request from the Korean medical community was rejected because the government finalized the details of the increase for next year in June and the process for the college entrance exam is underway. Early applications are scheduled to begin today (September 9). The government believes it is too late for schools and students to cancel or adjust the increase for the 2025 school year.

The increase in medical school admission quotas as part of President Yoon Suk Yeol's comprehensive healthcare reform plan triggered a mass strike by newly graduated doctors - who provide emergency and medical care - at major hospitals in February this year, leading to a worsening healthcare crisis in South Korea.

The months-long absence of interns and residents is degrading the quality of medical services overall. Some patients have been turned away from emergency rooms despite their serious conditions requiring urgent care. As of September 5, only 88 of the 180 emergency rooms in major hospitals were providing medical services, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.