South Korea's medical students end 17-month class boycott
SEOUL : Thousands of South Korean medical students are set to return to classrooms after a 17-month boycott, an industry body told AFP Monday, ending part of a standoff which also saw junior doctors strike.
South Korean healthcare was plunged into chaos early last year when then-president Yoon Suk Yeol moved to sharply increase medical school admissions, citing an urgent need to boost doctor numbers to meet growing demand in a rapidly ageing society.
The initiative met fierce protest, prompting junior doctors to walk away from hospitals and medical students to boycott their classrooms, with operations cancelled and service provision disrupted nationwide.
The measure was later watered down, and the government eventually offered to scrap it in March 2025, after Yoon was impeached over his disastrous declaration of martial law.
'Students have agreed to return to school,' a spokesperson for the Korean Medical Association told AFP Monday, adding that it was up to each medical school to decide the schedule for student returns.
The Korean Medical Students' Association said in an earlier statement that the students had reached this decision because a continued boycott 'could cause the collapse of the fundamentals of medical systems'.
Some 8,300 students are expected to return to school, but no specific timeline has been provided.
Prime minister Kim Min-seok welcomed the decision, calling it a 'big step forward' in a Facebook post Sunday, adding president Lee Jae Myung was deliberating ways to solve the issue.
In addition to the student boycott, some 12,000 junior doctors went on strike last year – with the vast majority of them still declining to return to work.
Lee – who took office in June after winning snap elections following Yoon's removal from office – had said on the campaign trail he would seek to resolve the medical strike.
The increase in medical school admissions led to a record number of students re-taking the college entrance exam in November in a bid to capitalise on reforms that made it easier to get into coveted majors.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
35 minutes ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Ex-Muda sec-gen's views on Turun Anwar rally his own, says successor
Former Muda secretary-general Amir Hadi recently said that the anti-Anwar Ibrahim rally had missed the mark and would turn off fence-sitters. KUALA LUMPUR : Muda secretary-general Ainie Haziqah today said that the reservations expressed by her predecessor Amir Hadi over last week's Turun Anwar rally were entirely his own. When contacted by FMT, Ainie said Amir's views on the rally should be addressed to the opposition, adding that the party could not be 'selective' about the kind of rally it should back. 'For Muda, we are very consistent and straightforward on what we want out of this rally. 'So whether it is a turn-off, we should let the people decide,' she said, referring to Amir's comments. Amir said on Monday that the rally, organised by Perikatan Nasional, had missed the mark. He said it looked like a 'rushed attempt to return to power' on the part of the opposition bloc and warned that it would turn off fence-sitters. Ainie's remarks followed a joint press conference by Muda and Pejuang on the arrest of four men, including Bersatu leaders, for allegedly flogging an effigy of the prime minister during the rally last Saturday. Ainie had questioned the silence by government leaders who had promised to abolish draconian laws such as the Sedition Act. She also urged them to speak out against the arrests, which she described as an act of intimidation against peaceful protesters. Pejuang information chief Rafique Rashid Ali meanwhile said that the government was being hypocritical in arresting people as it had promised to allow the rally to proceed without interference. He also questioned the need for their arrest. 'We have no problems with investigations. But why was there a need to arrest them?' he said, adding that the police should have recorded their statements without detaining and remanding them. The four men, who have since been released, are Furqan Hakimi, who serves as the executive secretary of Bersatu Youth's Perak chapter; acting Ayer Hitam chief Syafiq Aziz; Bersatu leader Badrul Hisham Shaharin; and Sijangkang PAS Youth chief Ikhwan Syaffiq. 'They are Malaysians, they have the right to protest, too,' Rafique said.
Malay Mail
an hour ago
- Malay Mail
Fadhlina: MoE pledges RM67b boost for transformative education reforms from preschool to secondary under 13MP
PUTRAJAYA, Aug 1 — The Ministry of Education (MOE) will give full focus to the development of preschool to secondary education under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), as part of efforts to enhance the focus and effectiveness of the national education system. Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek, in a statement today, announced that RM67 billion has been allocated for the education sector, including the construction of new schools and the upgrading of infrastructure at educational institutions across the country. 'The Madani Government's current focus is to ensure universal enrolment at both the preschool and secondary education levels,' she said. She added that the Education (Amendment) Bill 2025, which aims to make secondary education compulsory, was recently passed by the Dewan Rakyat. Fadhlina also noted that making preschool education compulsory from the age of five is intended to provide children with a holistic and comprehensive foundation in early learning. To support the initiative, Fadhlina said more preschool facilities under MOE will be established nationwide to ensure broader access and higher enrolment rates. She added that under 13MP, school construction efforts will include mandatory school development as part of large-scale housing projects, along with the expansion of vertical school construction. These measures aim to address issues of overcrowding and limited school sites, particularly in high-density urban areas. In addition, Fadhlina said that special emphasis will be placed on integrated efforts to strengthen proficiency in both Bahasa Melayu and English, as well as reinforcing focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), and digital literacy, including artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. Acknowledging that teachers are the cornerstone of the national education reform agenda, she said the government will prioritise improvements in the recruitment of new teachers, preparatory training programmes, and efforts to enhance the competence and professionalism of those already in service. 'The 13th Malaysia Plan is a reflection of the Madani Government's commitment to reforming the national education system through a bolder, more transformative approach for the benefit of all Malaysian children,' she said. Fadhlina also expressed MOE's appreciation to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for tabling the 13MP, which places a strong emphasis on a comprehensive education reform agenda aligned with the Malaysia Madani framework. — Bernama
Malay Mail
2 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Dzulkefly: Over 400 contract medical officers decline permanent posts from 2023 to mid-2025, citing location and career concerns
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 1 — A total of 414 contract medical officers rejected permanent appointments and resigned between 2023 and June 2025, according to the health minister. Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad said this represents 3.5 per cent of the 11,901 officers offered permanent posts during that period. Key reasons included reluctance to serve in Sabah, Sarawak, and the Federal Territory of Labuan, a stronger preference for urban healthcare facilities, and concerns over career progression in specialist fields if posted to rural or remote areas. 'Personal factors such as family care responsibilities, health issues, logistics, and financial concerns also influenced their decisions,' he added in a written reply posted on the Parliament website today. Dzulkefly was responding to a question from Mohammed Taufiq Johari (PH–Sungai Petani) on the number of health officers leaving the Ministry of Health (MOH) due to lack of permanent placement. He said the ministry remains committed to retaining medical officers through various initiatives. These include an 8 per cent salary increase from December 1, 2024 and a further 7 per cent rise starting January 1, 2026, the filling of 4,352 permanent medical officer posts in 2025, and lateral appointments to Grade UD10, which offer better pay than Grade UD9. So far, 4,006 contract medical officers have been offered permanent appointments — 92 per cent of the 2025 target set by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. MOH has also expanded benefits such as Paid Study Leave with the Federal Training Award, the Specialist Training Programme with MOH scholarships, and the introduction of Pre-Publication Incentive Payments from 1 July 2025 for officers undergoing supervised work experience. The ministry is exploring cooperation with state governments to offer incentives aimed at retaining healthcare workers in the public sector. 'These measures are vital to maintaining a high-quality, comprehensive, and resilient national health system, while safeguarding the welfare of MOH staff,' Dzulkefly said.
