Government Grants Medical Schools Autonomy in Student Leave Decisions Amid Ongoing Boycott.

Seoul: The education ministry announced a significant policy shift on Tuesday, permitting medical schools to independently decide on granting academic leave to students, as the majority of medical students persist in their boycott against the government's decision to increase the medical school admission quota. According to Yonhap News Agency, Education Minister Lee Ju-ho made this announcement during a meeting with the presidents of 40 universities housing medical schools. This move comes in response to the widespread class boycott by medical students protesting the planned increase of approximately 1,500 seats in medical school enrollment starting next year. The ministry stated that universities now have the authority to make independent decisions regarding academic leave requests for personal reasons. Minister Lee emphasized that this decision aims to encourage students to resume their studies and restore normalcy in medical school operations. Previously, the ministry required academic leave to be conti ngent upon students' return to school in the following year. However, both the doctors' community and university presidents have urged the government to allow for unconditional school leave, citing the students' continued absence from classes. The presidential office clarified that this new policy should not be interpreted as support for the medical community's opposition to the government's medical reform plan. A senior presidential official remarked that the government does not intend to fully permit collective requests for leave based on opposition to the medical school quota increase, maintaining that such reasons are not deemed valid for granting leave.