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Medical school admission quota rises to 3,548 for 2027 academic year

Published: 13 Mar. 2026, 12:28

A medical school logo is seen at a university building in Seoul on Jan. 29. [YONHAP]

The nation's medical school admission quota for the 2027 academic year has been confirmed to be 3,548, an increase of 490 from the 2024 academic year, the Ministry of Education said on Friday.

The decision follows significant conflict between the government and the medical community between 2024 and 2025 after the former Yoon Suk Yeol administration sharply raised the quota by 2,000 to 5,058 for the 2025 academic year. The quota was later adjusted to 4,567 for that year before being reverted to 3,058 for the 2026 academic year.

The government last month unveiled a plan to gradually increase the quota by an annual average of 668 through 2031.

The Education Ministry said the universities with the largest increase in medical school enrollment next year will be Kangwon National University in the northeastern city of Chuncheon and Chungbuk National University in the central city of Cheongju, with an increase of 39 students each.

The school with the smallest increase will be CHA University in Pocheon, northeast of Seoul, with only a net increase of 2 people, it noted. All 40 medical schools nationwide have been notified of the new admission quota.

Yonhap