ISTANBUL

South Korea has decided to rescind the order on the medical quota increase and return to medical school enrollment for 2026 as it was two years ago, Yonhap News reported on Wednesday.

Officials said the government will reduce medical school admissions from 5,058 to 3,058 — the same as in 2024 and previous years.

Education Minister Lee Ju-ho is expected to make the official announcement at a press conference on Thursday at the Seoul Government Complex.

Last year, authorities increased the quota by 2,000 to address a chronic doctor shortage, triggering one of the world's longest medical strikes and plunging the country's healthcare system into crisis.

The government had promised to reinstate the previous quota if all medical students resumed classes by the end of March, after a year-long boycott.