Goverment gives conditional approval for medical students leave of absence

[Anchor]

The government has decided to allow medical students to take a leave of absence on limited conditions.

This is on the condition that they will return to school in the first semester of next year.

This marks a step back from the government's previous stance, but the medical community has not responded positively.

Jin Sun-min reports.

[Report]

Currently, there are over 4,300 medical students on hold for leave of absence at national universities.

After eight months since the collective leave began, the government has decided on 'conditional approval'.

This is interpreted as a measure considering the repercussions of Seoul National University's decision six days ago to approve leave of absence requests, which deviated from the government's policy.

[Oh Seok-hwan/Deputy Minister of Education : "In a realistic situation where it is difficult to run the academic schedule normally, we will prioritize protecting the students..."]

While the principle of probiting en masse protest remains unchanged, if personal reasons are verified and students promise to return in the first semester of next year, leave of absence will be permitted.

It was emphasized that if they do not return next year, they will face academic probation or expulsion according to school regulations.

[Lee Ju-ho/Minister of Education : "In a way, I think this is the last opportunity of golden time for students to return. I hope they make one last effort during this time..."]

Students will be given another chance to return this year. Those who return will be able to advance normally, and academic support for reutrning to school will be enhanced.

However, medical associations have issued a joint statement criticizing the government, stating that "the state cannot force a return" and calling it "an unconstitutional measure."

[Choi Chang-min/Chairman of the Korea Association of Medical Colleges Emergency Response Committee : "They will not return in March until there is a medical education environment. What the government is saying now is a policy that threatens students."]

[Kim Seong-geun/Spokesperson for the Korea Association of Medical Colleges : "Even if they come back now, we cannot teach them. This is because there are already students currently taking the normal course. It is unprecedented to have students in the same year follow a different curriculum."]

Regarding the government's push for a 'reduction in medical education to 5 years' as a measure to reduce the shortage of doctors, there are concerns in the medical community about a decline in the quality of education.

KBS News, Jin Sun-min.