Seoul, July 27 About 11 per cent of medical students have registered for next year's state licensing examination amid a prolonged walkout by trainee doctors over medical reform plans.
According to a health ministry statement on Saturday, 364 out of some 3,200 medical students eligible for the licensing examination registered before the deadline, reports Yonhap news agency.
Many medical students have been collectively boycotting classes in protest against the government's increase of the nationwide medical school quota by some 1,500 seats for 2025.
Recently, the standoff has been escalating as some medical professors have vowed to boycott training programmes for junior doctors in protest of the government's push for accepting the resignations of striking trainees.
Hospitals have started hiring about 7,700 trainee doctors for the training program set to begin in September, as they accepted resignations from 7,648 trainees at the request of the government in an effort to allow striking doctors to find new jobs while ending the prolonged walkout.
More than 90 per cent of around 13,000 junior doctors walked off their jobs in February in the form of resignations, protesting the government's medical reform plan.
Earlier this week, the government said it has been considering taking legal action against some medical professors who threaten to boycott training programmes for junior doctors.
The government has already finalised an admissions quota hike of approximately 1,500 students for medical schools next year in an effort to address problems stemming from the shortage of doctors.
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