Universities granted autonomy to approve medical students' leave amid boycott

[Anchor]

The class boycott by medical students opposing the increase in medical school enrollment continues.

The government has maintained the principle that leave of absence can only be approved if it is premised on 'returning next year.'

However, today (10.29), they took a step back by stating that the approval of leave of absence will be left to the discretion of the universities.

This is a report by Kim Min-hyuk.

[Report]

The ongoing conflict between the medical community and the government.

Most medical students have submitted their leave of absence applications, and the classrooms are empty.

With no processing of leave applications, there are concerns about large-scale failures and expulsions.

The presidents of national universities expressed urgency, requesting that students' leave applications submitted for personal reasons be approved autonomously.

[Yang Oh-bong/President of Jeonbuk National University: "If leave of absence is approved, it will serve as an opportunity to normalize the first semester of the 2025 academic year...."]

Ultimately, the Ministry of Education decided to leave the approval of medical students' leave applications to the discretion of the universities.

This is a withdrawal from the previous position that was based on 'returning in the 2025 academic year.'

They stated, "We have accepted the opinions from the university field and various sectors of society at a grand level."

However, the presidential office emphasized that this does not mean a full allowance for collective alliance leave.

The medical community hopes this will serve as an opportunity for dialogue to begin between the ruling and opposition parties, expressing unanimous support, stating that it is a correct decision, albeit late.

[Lee Jong-tae/Chairman of the Korea Association of Medical Colleges: "With the approval of students' leave, we hope that the ruling and opposition parties will quickly engage in sincere dialogue."]

[Choi Anna/Spokesperson for the Korean Medical Association: "We sincerely hope this will be the beginning of resolving the medical crisis."]

However, the medical student association stated, "It is only natural to approve legitimate leave applications," and expressed a cautious stance, saying, "Nothing else has changed."

This is KBS News, Kim Min-hyuk.