The Korean government has significantly strengthened eligibility requirements for regional medical doctor admissions amid growing concerns over so-called "provincial study migration" following the expansion of medical school enrollment outside Seoul.
Under the revised rules, applicants must now graduate from a middle school within the same metropolitan region where the medical school is located, rather than simply attending any non-capital area school. The measure aims to reinforce the law's original intent of selecting local talent for long-term regional service while blocking schemes to exploit admissions through short-term relocations.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the 27th that it has prepared a revised enforcement decree for the "Act on Training and Support of Regional Doctors," opening it for re-legislation notice until the 6th of next month.
The key change tightens the middle school location requirement from "non-capital region" to "the medical school's location and adjacent metropolitan areas." For example, applicants to medical schools in Daejeon or South Chungcheong Province must have graduated from middle schools in Daejeon, Sejong, South Chungcheong, or North Chungcheong, and from high schools in the corresponding secondary medical care zone or the same metropolitan area. These criteria will apply immediately starting with the 2027 academic year admissions.
The revised decree also specifies selection ratios. A minimum floor of at least 10% of the combined enrollment capacity (2,722 students) across 32 medical schools nationwide, excluding Seoul, must be allocated to regional doctor admissions.
"This enforcement decree establishes a lower limit for the regional doctor selection ratio," a ministry official said. "The specific regional and university-by-university allocation for the 2027 enrollment increase of 490 students will be announced through a separate notice after consultation with the Ministry of Education."
Additionally, the decree mandates that 100% of students selected through the regional doctor track must meet the middle and high school location requirements. Through this policy, the government plans to cultivate long-term settlement-oriented medical personnel by selecting students who grew up in the region and requiring them to serve there.
"During the legislative process, we reflected concerns about side effects where middle school students might relocate to specific regions to prepare for regional doctor admissions," a ministry official explained. "We will gather opinions from stakeholders and experts to prepare notices on detailed matters delegated by the law and subordinate regulations without delay."