Mass enlistment of med students

[Anchor]

This year, it has been reported that over 2,000 medical students have taken a leave of absence to enlist as active-duty soldiers.

Amid the conflict between the medical community and the government, the number of students choosing to enlist as active-duty soldiers has significantly increased, raising concerns that the system for military doctors and public health doctors may be at risk of extinction.

Joo Hyun-ji reports.

[Report]

In a medical school classroom in Seoul.

All students eligible to return have completed their registration, but there are still many empty seats due to some students refusing to attend classes.

Many male students have also chosen to take a leave of absence to enlist as active-duty soldiers.

[Medical student planning to enlist/voice altered: "As soon as this incident (the conflict) broke out, I started to think that it might be a two-for-one deal, thinking 'it will be resolved when I come back'..."]

The number of medical students choosing military leave has increased from an average of around 200 per semester to over 600 in the first semester of last year, and now surpassing 2,000 in the first semester of this year.

This is a tenfold increase compared to before the conflict.

The service period for active-duty soldiers in the Army is 18 months, while military doctors and public health doctors must serve for twice as long, 36 months.

The monthly salary for a sergeant has exceeded 2 million won under the current government.

[Medical student planning to enlist/voice altered: "The salary is higher, and the living conditions are relatively better, so I chose to become a military doctor or public health doctor, but now that regular soldiers' salaries have also increased, the relative benefits have decreased..."]

The 40 medical schools across the country are only allowing leaves of absence for special reasons such as military enlistment to prevent collective leaves of absence by medical students.

Concerns are growing that a shortage of military doctors and public health doctors will become a reality within a few years.

[Parent of a medical student/voice altered: "There is anxiety that due to distrust in government policies, one could be forcibly taken to serve as a military doctor or public health doctor at an unwanted time..."]

In response, the Ministry of National Defense has announced plans to improve the treatment of military doctors and restructure the system to focus on long-term professional military doctors rather than mandatory service.

KBS News, Joo Hyun-ji.