According to Jongro Academy, one of the country's leading educational institutions for college admissions, 2,249 male students entered nursing universities in 2021, accounting for 20.5 percent of the total 10,993.

The tally was up by 161, or 7.7 percent, compared to 2,088 enrollments last year.

This marked the first time the proportion of male admissions for nursing schools has surpassed the 20 percent mark. The rate is the highest since universities here began to recruit nursing students in 1974.

This year's male enrollment was about 68.2 times higher than 33 in 2001.

The total number of students entering nursing schools each year has also grown to exceed 10,000 in 2016. It was 2,527 in 2001.

According to Jongro Academy, the number of male students who have acquired nursing licenses also surged over the past two decades to 3,504 this year from 46 in 2001.

"Nursing schools have become popular among male students because of job security, and they became less hesitant than before about taking the job," the academy said.

Meanwhile, female enrollment for medical schools was 1,088, or 35.1 percent of the total medical school admissions at 3,099 this year.

The number was the highest since 2001 and the third biggest in history. (Yonhap)