Only a General Hospital to Be Built on Seoul Baek Hospital Site... Jung-gu Urban Planning Advisory Completed

Junggu Completes Advisory for District Urban Planning Committee on 19th, to Submit to City by Early March at Latest
Seoul Baek Hospital Site Restricted to General Hospital, Part to Serve as K-Medical Service Center
Despite Opposition and Concerns from Inje Hakwon, 'Urban Infectious Disease Control Function Essential'

On the 19th, Jung-gu District in Seoul held a district urban planning committee meeting and completed consultation on the urban management plan decision to allow only a general hospital to be built on the Seoul Baek Hospital site (Jeodong 2-ga 85).

The district plans to submit the decision plan to the Seoul Metropolitan Government within this month or by early next month at the latest. After that, only the city's final judgment remains.

The decision plan aims to prevent a medical service gap in the downtown area by designating the current Seoul Baek Hospital site of 3,127㎡ as an urban planning facility (comprehensive medical facility), making it impossible to use the site for other purposes.

However, the plan reflects the possibility of operating some parts of the facility as non-urban planning facilities to address concerns about financial soundness. The goal is to establish a K-Medical Service Center to attract the increasing number of foreign tourists in Myeongdong and Euljiro, while keeping various options open to supplement hospital revenue.

This is mostly the same as the content that Jung-gu publicly announced in December last year and held a residents' briefing session on the 11th of last month.

Seoul Baek Hospital (Inje Hakwon Foundation) submitted an opposing opinion to Jung-gu. Inje Hakwon stated, "The expected public benefit from the comprehensive medical facility designation is minimal, but the damage to Inje Hakwon will be significant," adding concerns that "there is a very high possibility it will be left as an abandoned building."

However, Jung-gu judged that the capacity for early response and control of infectious diseases, as experienced during the COVID-19 crisis, is an essential urban function that must be preserved, and thus continued the relevant drafting procedure.

Seoul Baek Hospital decided to close at a board meeting in June last year and shut its doors in November. In response, the Seoul Metropolitan Government requested Jung-gu to initiate the urban planning facility designation for Baek Hospital. Recognizing the importance of the matter, the district promptly conducted professional services, public notices, residents' briefings, and completed consultation with the district urban planning committee.