President Yoon Suk Yeol has called on the Education Ministry to actively cooperate with universities to make thorough preparations for the college admissions process for the 2025 academic year in line with the increased medical school quota.

Sung Tae-yoon, the presidential chief of staff for policy, said on Sunday during a press briefing that Yoon called for necessary measures to ensure a smooth educational process.

The number of freshmen in medical schools nationwide will rise by one-thousand-509 to four-thousand-567 for the 2025 academic year, the first increase in 27 years.

Amid the prolonged collective action by trainee doctors, President Yoon instructed the Health Ministry to firmly maintain the emergency treatment system and do its best to encourage trainee doctors to return to hospitals to complete their courses alongside patients.

The president called on the Finance Ministry to compile next year’s budget so that the government can make intensive investments in measures to support medical reform.

In particular, the president ordered efforts to ensure financial investments in five major tasks for medical reform, including supporting trainee doctors in essential medical services, innovating local medical services and establishing a safety net for medical accidents.