South Korea Reverses Plan to Boost Medical School Student Intake

South Korea will scrap plans to increase the number of medical school students on condition that current students who took leave under protest return to their classrooms by the end of March.

The government said in a statement Friday it will revert to setting the annual intake quota for medical schools at 3,058, the same number allowed for more than a decade through 2024, if students come back. Intake rose to nearly 5,000 for this year, and as of January, 90% of those who enrolled last year were staying away from school in protest against the increase.