Medical students said it was not surprising that 96 percent of fourth-year med school students did not apply to take next year’s state license exam, adding that the application rate is likely to be low even if additional registrations open. 

The Korean Medical Student Association said in a statement released on Monday that the high rate is the result of disruptions in medical education caused by the education ministry. 

Earlier, the health ministry said that 364 medical students registered to take the clinical assessment portion of the state license exam next year, a little more than ten percent of students eligible to take the test. 

The association said students had submitted applications for a leave of absence from school in February in protest of the government’s plan to expand the admissions quota of med schools but the education ministry had rejected the students' applications. 

The association said that as a result, fourth-year students failed to gain the status of graduates-to-be and came to the point of not being eligible to apply for the state license test. 

The association stressed that even if additional registrations open, there is little reason and cause for students to apply for next year’s test.