South Korea's Health and Welfare Committee advances National Medical School Establishment Act

President Lee Jae-myung publicly praised Democratic Party lawmaker Park Ju-min after the National Assembly’s Health and Welfare Committee approved the National Medical School Establishment Act, posting the news on X (formerly Twitter) and saying the achievement reflects meaningful medical reform progress.

Park Ju-min had posted on Facebook that the Health and Welfare Committee advanced two major items—the National Medical School Establishment Act and amendments to the National Pension Act—as part of the administration’s broad healthcare reform agenda. He noted progress on other reforms such as the regional doctor system, telemedicine, and strengthening essential medical care, alongside the National Medical School Act.

The National Medical School Establishment Act would have the state establish a national medical graduate school and subsidize tuition, with graduates obligated to work in public medical institutions for 15 years after obtaining their medical license.

The president’s endorsement matters in part because Park is currently a candidate in the Democratic Party’s Seoul mayoral primary, highlighting how policy wins are being leveraged in domestic political contests.

The report also recalls a wider political moment: last December, Lee referenced Jeong Won-oh, a former head of Seongdong District, as another Seoul mayoral hopeful, praising him while joking that Lee’s own networking and access would be difficult to secure.

The Health and Welfare Committee’s passage signals legislative momentum on Korea’s healthcare reform agenda, which includes the proposed national medical school, a regional doctor system, telemedicine, and other measures aimed at expanding public medical capacity.

For international readers, the significance lies in Korea’s approach to training doctors through a national system tied to service in public facilities, alongside efforts to expand digital health and access to care. These policy directions can affect Korea’s healthcare costs, workforce, and regulatory environment, with potential implications for U.S.-Korea health collaboration, technology partnerships, and cross-border healthcare markets.