A bill to amend the Framework Act on Health and Medical Services with the aim of accurately assessing the need for medical personnel in the country has passed the National Assembly’s Health and Welfare Committee.

The amendment, which the committee approved Tuesday, calls for the establishment of an independent review body under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Health and Welfare that would look at supply and demand forecasts for health care personnel, such as doctors and nurses.

The envisioned body would consist of experts recommended by patients' groups, doctors' groups and academia, but members recommended by doctors' groups, such as the Korean Medical Association, would make up the majority. 

Once the new committee determined the industry’s workforce needs, the Health and Medical Services Policy Deliberation Committee, chaired by the health minister, would determine medical school admissions quotas.

If the bill becomes law, the review body could begin its work in time for the 2027 academic year.