Gov’t likely to accept university chiefs’ request to lower med school enrollment quota

The government is likely to accept a request made by the chiefs of six national universities to lower their medical school enrollment quotas for next year, officials said Friday.

The six universities, all located outside the capital region, made the request Thursday amid an ongoing standoff between the government and the medical community over the government’s decision to increase total medical school admissions by 2,000 starting next year.

The six — Gangwon National University, Kyungpook National University, Gyeongsang National University, Chungnam National University, Chungbuk National University and Jeju National University — asked that they be allowed to lower the quotas assigned to them by up to 50 percent next year.

The proposal will be discussed during a government meeting led by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo later Friday, according to government and presidential officials.

“We’re open to (adjusting) the number 2,000,” a presidential official told Yonhap News Agency. “If they give us their opinion, of course, there should be room to consider it positively.”

The official stressed the need to make a quick decision given universities’ admissions timetables.

Han is reportedly considering announcing the outcome of the meeting at a press briefing later in the day. Also expected to be discussed at the meeting is whether to adjust the enrollment quota for 2026 and beyond. The current government plan calls for an annual increase of 2,000 seats.