Medical education in South Korea is in an unprecedented crisis as institutions throughout the nation confirm that large numbers of medical students will be forced to retake courses in order to remain in school. The Ministry of Education made it plain: students who failed to meet the April 30 deadline and will thus face academic retention or expulsion will not receive a second opportunity.
By Wednesday, all medical schools must report to the Education Ministry in detail, including the number of students deferred or expelled, the academic review meeting dates and their strategy for handling the new academic year. This comes after a monthslong standoff over the government's now-frozen proposal to increase medical school enrollment, which many students protested by boycotting classes. As of late April, the percentage of medical students back in class stood at only 26 percent.
As of now, a total of five schools have notified a total of 1,916 students on expulsion for losing over a month of school. They were from Soonchunhyang University (606 students), Eulji University (299), Inje University (557), the graduate medical course of CHA University (190) and Konyang University (264). Education authorities cautioned that academic persistence may impact around 70 percent of students.
Education Minister and interim President Lee Ju-ho made a stern declaration to students on Monday, saying, "Universities need to make their expulsion and retention rulings by May 7 and follow principle. Confirmed rulings won't be changed or revoked afterward".
Lee's announcement came against the backdrop of rumors among students that universities would not implement large-scale retentions or that subsequent policy changes would enable them to return. "There will be no additional academic flexibility", Lee emphasized. "Students still dithering should not bet their futures on unfounded rumors.
Since medical schools have an annual academic schedule, students being retained will be able to rejoin only in 2026. First-year students of the 2024, 2025 and 2026 cohorts will therefore have to study first-year courses together. While the government had endeavored to steer clear of this situation, dubbed "tripling," it is now ready to deal with it.
A number of colleges, such as Dong-A University and Jeonbuk National University, already made changes in their academic guidelines to give greater priority to course registration for the entering freshmen.
The administration also is proposing to relax controls so more transfer students can plug holes left when students expelled on academic grounds left college. Still, officials asserted that such fillings will take place only under the framework of assured vacancies and not to suit those who lost their spot.
Adding to pressure, the Korean National Police Agency declared a policy of zero tolerance against individuals or groups hindering students from being back in classrooms. "We sternly advise against organized efforts that interfere with students' right to study", the agency was quoted as stating, promising stringent legal action.
Police are meanwhile probing 10 cases of coercion or online threats against students who went back to school. Two suspects have been sent to the prosecutors' office, and five others are already under investigation.
The government is especially taking aim at incidents like posting the names of the returnees, coercing their classmates to hold out, or coordinating collective denials of school attendance.
The police also mentioned that certain student councils conducted unauthorized meetings to discourage fellow students from continuing their studies and wrote statements vowing to maintain the boycott. "We will pursue those responsible for these illegal acts and seek arrest warrants if needed", the agency stated.
With the May 7 deadline drawing near, the government is playing tough. Education Minister Lee told students who have already returned to "trust the government and their universities and get on with their studies", reiterating that those who still do not return will not be offered another chance.
The full extent of academic retentions and expulsions will be revealed after May 9.
