The number of male nurses in the nation has topped 40-thousand for the first time since 1962, when the first male nurse received his license. 

According to the Korean Nursing Association on Thursday, of the 23-thousand-760 people who passed the national nurse licensure exam for the 2025 academic year, 18-point-one percent, or four-thousand-292 people, were male. 

The results brought the total number of male nurses in the nation to 40-thousand-305, pushing the figure above 40-thousand for the first time in 63 years. 

Men now make up seven percent of the nation’s registered nurses.