South Korean doctors rally against government plans to increase the number of medical students
ABC News
Hundreds of South Korean doctors have rallied in the capital Seoul and other cities against a government plan to boost the number of medical students
SEOUL, South Korea -- Hundreds of South Korean doctors rallied in the capital, Seoul, and other cities on Thursday against a government plan to boost the number of medical students.
Doctors’ groups say increasing the number of medical students by 2,000 starting in 2025 is too steep. They want officials to instead use available resources to raise medical fees they say are set too low.
Authorities say South Korea needs more doctors. It's among the lowest numbers of doctors relative to the size of the population among developed countries despite growing demands for medical services fueled by a fast-aging society.
South Korea also has one of the world’s lowest birth rates and has been grappling with shortages of doctors in some key professions, including obstetrics and pediatrics, and in rural regions outside the greater capital area.
South Korea’s quota of medical students has stood at 3,058 since 2006. Doctors have successfully resisted several government attempts to increase the number of students in past years, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.
