Police investigation requested into allegations of coercion in favor of collective action at 3 medical faculties

The Ministry of Education has asked police to investigate allegations that students from three medical schools were forced to join a collective action to boycott classes and seek leave to protest the increase quotas for medical schools, officials announced Monday.

The request comes as many medical students have not been to class for almost three months and have collectively requested school leave in response to the government's decision to significantly increase the quota of medical schools nationwide , starting next year.

The ministry was informed last Friday of coercion at three medical schools to pressure students into taking part in collective action, and it subsequently asked police to investigate the three schools, it said a senior official from the Ministry of Education during a press briefing.

The three medical schools would be located outside Seoul.

Last month, the ministry called for a police investigation into medical students at Seoul's Hanyang University on suspicion of demanding a public apology from students who did not participate in the boycott of classes and denying them access essential learning materials.

The latest alleged cases of coercion include demanding that students avoid online classes and then pressuring them to publicly prove that they participated in the boycott. In addition, students were also reportedly forced to request school leave after being gathered in a place where they were prohibited from leaving.

The Ministry of Education maintains that collective action does not constitute a valid reason to grant a school leave. (Yonhap)