[On-site Video+] The Ministry of Education approves a leave of absence for medical students on the premise of returning to the first semester of next year.

[Anchor]
It has been nearly two months since the second semester began, but most medical students have not returned, and the Ministry of Education will announce emergency measures shortly.

Let's listen to the briefing of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Lee Ju-ho.

[Lee Juho / Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education]
Hello. This is Lee Ju-ho, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education.

Today, I'm here to talk about the main contents of the 'emergency measures for normalizing the academic background of medical school'.

Collective actions, such as refusal of medical school students to take classes, which began in February as part of a collective action in the medical community, have continued for eight months, prolonging the disruption of medical school academic operations.

The government and universities have been doing their best to help students return without approving the alliance leave of absence under a consistent policy that alliance leave, which is a means of collective action, is not a legitimate reason for taking a leave of absence.

The Ministry of Education gathered opinions from universities in July to prepare the "Guidelines for the Flexible Operation of Medical Colleges," and each university is implementing various measures to ensure that students can continue their studies smoothly as long as they return to class, but students are still not returning to class.

There was also an opinion that such concerns and concerns are increasing in the university field, and it is time for a new opportunity for student return and normal operation of the curriculum.

As a result, the Ministry of Education considered with the university that student protection is the top priority, although paid and discharged are inevitable if student return continues.

As a result, under the basic principle of not allowing collective alliance leave of absence, we have prepared a limited leave of absence approval measure that guarantees the opportunity for students to return this year and presupposes that students who do not return to school will return in time for the start of the 25th school year.

The basic principles of this 'emergency measures for the normalization of academic degrees in medical schools' are as follows.

First, the alliance leave of absence as part of collective action is not a legitimate reason for taking a leave of absence, so we will thoroughly manage it so that it will not be permitted in the future.

Second, each university will actively persuade students to return to the 24th school year so that they can complete the curriculum and promote to the top.

Third, for students who have not returned to school who express their intention to take a leave of absence, we will add a procedure to check the intention to take a leave of absence, whether there is a reason for individual or personal leave of absence, and the timing of return on the premise that they return to school at the beginning of the 25th grade.

It is intended to protect students' right to learn and normalize the '25th-grade medical school bachelor's degree.

The following is the main contents of the 'emergency measures for normalization of academic degrees in medical schools' based on this basic direction.

First of all, the first step in promoting the normalization of university students is persuasion, education, and support of returning students in the 24th grade.

In the future, each university should set a deadline for returning students to the extent that they are given the maximum opportunity to return in consideration of educational conditions and curriculum operation.

Please actively persuade the university through individual counseling so that students can return by the deadline for their return.

In the process, if there are cases that infringe on students' right to learn and hinder their return, such as the circumstances of forced collective action and the disclosure of online lists, the government will take prompt and strict action without exception in accordance with the law.

In addition, as long as students return by the return deadline, please operate the bachelor's school flexibly so that they can complete the curriculum and promote it as normally as possible, and actively guide students.

The second step is approval of a leave of absence on the premise of returning to the 25th grade. In the case of students who still do not return to the deadline for return and express their intention to take a leave of absence despite the active persuasion to return to the

24 school year, please follow the following procedures and approve the leave of absence according to the school regulations on the premise that they return to the beginning of the 25th school year.

First of all, for students who express their intention to take a leave of absence, it is necessary to persuade them to return through individual counseling and confirm their intention to take a leave of absence once again.

The university's leave of absence system presupposes personal and individual circumstances that are forced to suspend their studies for a while.

Therefore, the government maintains a consistent policy that taking a leave of absence from alliance as a means of achieving collective objectives, not personal circumstances, is not a legitimate reason for taking a leave of absence.

For students who are willing to take a leave of absence, please clearly confirm that there is no intention of taking a leave of absence from the alliance through a separate procedure, such as correcting the previously submitted leave of absence.

In addition, each university is asked to review the individual reasons for the student's leave of absence and evidence according to the school regulations and approve the leave of absence only if the return time is specified at the start of the 25th school year.

If a student does not continue to return without approval for a leave of absence that meets these procedures and requirements, each university should strictly apply the school rules and handle them according to the principles of paid and expulsion.

The third step is '24th and '25th grade education operation' for normalization of academic background.

When each university approves the leave of absence, please prepare a curriculum operation plan for the 24th and 25th grades and submit it to the Ministry of Education.

The Ministry of Education will review the operation plans of individual universities one by one and provide necessary support.

First of all, I would like to ask you to operate so that students who are completing the curriculum normally from the beginning of this year and returning students by the return deadline set by the university can smoothly complete the curriculum and promote it without any disadvantages.

In addition, we would like to ask you to actively come up with support measures for students on leave for the 24th grade, such as running special programs for each university to make a soft landing and strengthen medical capabilities in the 25th grade. In the 25th year of

', it is necessary to establish a curriculum operation plan by comprehensively considering the size of students and educational conditions, as additional freshmen will enter and students on leave of absence will also return.

Above all, we would like to ask you to come up with a separate plan, such as giving priority to new students in 2025 in class registration and division, and taking protective measures from forced collective action. We would like to ask you to come up with measures to protect the right to study, such as those who have completed the '∀}
'24 school year and those who return to the '24 school year 2 semester.

In addition, we recommend each university to operate a tentatively named medical education support center in cooperation with the university's headquarters and medical schools, and strengthen comprehensive educational support functions such as returning students, counseling on academic grievances, and sharing learning support materials such as so-called "jokbo."

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Next, I will talk about improving the system and managing the implementation of the principles for approval of leave of absence to support the normalization of medical school.

First, it is to improve the system to support the management of medical school leave and return to school.

In the case of medical schools that train medical personnel who deal with the lives and safety of the people, we will improve the system so that universities can manage the scale of leave of absence and return to school in consideration of the quality of education and educational conditions in order to foster human resources smoothly.

To this end, each university will set "the maximum number of students who can educate beyond the quota" for each semester or grade in consideration of medical education conditions such as teachers and facilities and flexible operation of the curriculum, and reflect it in the school regulations.

Through this, universities will be able to manage the size of their return to school so that the number of enrolled students does not become excessive compared to educational conditions when operating a university, and it is expected that students will fully consider the part of returning to school when applying for a leave of absence and apply for a leave of absence if necessary.

We would also like to come up with regulations on the period of leave of absence.

Unless there is a special reason, we would like to increase the predictability and stability of training medical personnel by preparing regulations to restrict continuous leave of absence for more than two semesters.

Second, it is a plan to support the flexible operation of the curriculum to minimize the gap in training medical personnel.

Considering the gap in training medical personnel due to the long-term disruption of academic operation, we intend to promote smooth training and supply of medical personnel by shortening the curriculum and preparing flexible operation plans in cooperation with the university field.

To support this, we plan to promote the schedule of the national examination of doctors and the flexibility of the selection period of majors through consultation with the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

Third, the principles of approval for leave of absence and the inspection of the curriculum operation plan.

Check the principles and procedures for approval of leave of absence according to the Ministry of Education's emergency measures, as well as the approval of collective alliance leave of absence,
We will examine the university's curriculum operation plan, which reflects efforts to normalize the academic background of medical schools, such as guaranteeing the
student's right to learn, and actively reflect the results in financial support from 2025.

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In the future, each university should proceed with the necessary measures quickly based on the plan to promote the normalization of academic backgrounds in medical schools announced today.

I think it is the responsibility of the government and universities to make the best effort to return to students until the end.

And let me reiterate that a collective alliance leave of absence for the purpose of opposing government policy cannot be allowed.

The university also requests that students who have decided to return due to their personal judgment will be able to freely return to school so that they are not affected by their return to a collective atmosphere.

Even if each university approves a leave of absence due to personal reasons other than alliance leave, please prepare for the operation of the academic record after returning to school in advance so that the student's right to learn is not violated.

The university has the autonomy of educational activities and also the accountability of training human resources.

We ask all members of the university, including medical school professors, to cheer up one last time so that our students can return to school as soon as possible and grow into great medical personnel.

In addition, I would like to thank everyone at the university, including the president and the dean, for their hard work in realizing the right education in the university field.

The Ministry of Education will also do its best to communicate closely with the university field and support it by improving the system.

Finally, I sincerely ask medical students with a desperate heart.

Now, collective action must be stopped.

You have to get back to your original position and return to your studies.

Considering the peculiarity of medical schools that train medical personnel that deal with the lives of the people, I hope that patients who desperately hope for the return of medical students and the normalization of medical schools, university officials, and medical students will make responsible decisions for all citizens.

Thank you.