The South Korean government has issued a preliminary notice on plans to expand regional medical school enrollment starting from the 2027 academic year. Kangwon National University and Chungbuk National University will each receive 39 additional seats, marking the largest increases.
The Ministry of Education announced on the 13th that it has issued a preliminary notice on medical school enrollment allocation plans for 32 medical schools outside Seoul, covering the 2027 to 2031 academic years.
Under the allocation plan, medical school enrollment for the 2027 academic year will increase by 490 students from the current 3,058 to 3,548. From the 2028 academic year onward, the expansion will grow to 613 additional seats, maintaining total enrollment at 3,671.
All new seats will be filled through the Regional Doctor Program. This program, designed to secure regional medical personnel, only accepts applicants who graduated from middle and high schools in the region where the medical school is located.
By university, Kangwon National University and Chungbuk National University will see the largest increases for the 2027 academic year, with 39 additional seats each. Enrollment at both universities will expand from the current 49 to 88 for 2027. From 2028, the increase will grow to 49 additional seats, bringing enrollment to 98.
Chonnam National University and Pusan National University will each add 31 seats, followed by Chungnam National University with 27 and Kyungpook National University with 26. In contrast, metropolitan area medical schools will see relatively modest increases: Sungkyunkwan University with 3, Ajou University with 6, and Inha University with 6.
By region, Busan-Ulsan-South Gyeongsang posted the largest increase at 97 seats, followed by Daegu-North Gyeongsang at 72, Daejeon-South Chungcheong at 72, and Gangwon at 63. Gyeonggi-Incheon recorded the smallest increase at 24.
The enrollment allocation was determined through comprehensive evaluation of each university's educational conditions and facility expansion plans. The Ministry of Education formed an allocation committee of medical education experts to evaluate applications submitted by universities and conducted on-site inspections when necessary.
Allocation criteria included prioritizing national universities, ensuring adequate enrollment for smaller medical schools, and whether universities operate clinical training at hospitals outside their medical school's region.
The preliminary notice allows universities to submit feedback until the 24th. The Ministry plans to notify universities of their individual allocations in March, conduct an appeal process, and finalize enrollment figures in April. Universities will then proceed with revising school regulations and modifying their 2027 admission plans.
Education Minister Choi Gyo-jin said, "As all expanded seats will be filled through the Regional Doctor Program, this will help improve regional medical conditions," adding, "We will continue communicating with universities and support improvements in medical education conditions."
