South Korea Expands Regional Medical School Quotas to Boost Local Doctor Supply

South Korea’s Ministry of Education unveiled a plan to allocate medical school student quotas for the 2027–2031 academic years. The plan targets 32 national universities located outside Seoul, excluding the capital, and sets the 2027 intake at 490 students, with increases of 613 students each year from 2028 through 2031. The allocations are to be distributed across these 32 institutions.

The policy prioritizes expanding regional medical capacity, directing the extra seats first to regional national universities and to “mini medical schools” with annual cohorts under 50 students. The aim is to train more physicians who will serve in their local areas, addressing regional disparities in Korea’s healthcare workforce.

For 2027, the plan adds 39 places each at Gangwon National University and Chungbuk National University. Jeonnam National University and Busan National University will gain 31 places apiece, while Jeju National University will receive an additional 28 positions.

From the 2028 academic year, Gangwon and Chungbuk are scheduled to double their quotas from the current 49 to 98. That marks a significant increase in depth of training capacity at these regional campuses, continuing the regional workforce strategy beyond the initial year.

In contrast, increases for the Gyeonggi and Incheon regions are modest in 2027, ranging from 2 to 7 additional spots. The overall approach remains to expand capacities where shortages are most acute, while maintaining smaller gains in more densely populated adjacent areas.

All of the additional admissions will be recruited through Korea’s “regional physician” track, a program that requires graduates to serve in the local region for 10 years after medical school. Applicants must come from high schools in the university’s locality or nearby districts, tying the pipeline directly to local communities.

Education Minister Choi announced the plan on March 13 at the Government Complex Sejong, presenting it as a pre-notification of the 2027–2031 medical school intake guidelines. The move reflects a long-term government effort to rebalance physician distribution across the country, with concrete annual targets through 2031.

For international readers, this matters beyond Korea because it signals how Seoul plans to shape Korea’s medical labor market, regional healthcare access, and public health capacity over the coming decade. Changes in where Korean doctors are trained and required to work could influence future collaborations between Korean medical institutions and U.S. hospitals, universities, and biotech firms, as well as broader supply-chain and research dynamics tied to Korea’s growing health-tech ecosystem.