Kim San, Muan County Governor, "Medical School Must Be Established at Mokpo National University in the Southwest Region"

President Yoon Seok-yeol Mentions New Medical School in Jeonnam, Welcomed by 100,000 Residents

2 Million Jeonnam Citizens Hope to Resolve 30-Year Medical School Establishment Wish

Expectations for Government and Jeollanam-do to Make Rational Decisions for Balanced Development

Kim San, the governor of Muan County, stated on the 19th in a position paper regarding the establishment of a medical school in Jeonnam, “We sincerely welcome the promise made by President Yoon Seok-yeol to promote the establishment of a medical school in Jeonnam, mentioned at the public discussion held in Muan, the location of Jeonnam Provincial Office, on the 14th, together with 100,000 county residents,” and added, “The expectation to resolve the 30-year-old wish of 2 million Jeonnam residents is very high, and I hope the promise will definitely be kept.”

Governor Kim said, “The southwestern region of Jeonnam lags far behind the eastern region in economic aspects such as the number of jobs and financial independence,” and added, “For this reason, the health and social welfare service sector is less than two-thirds the level of the eastern region.”

Kim San, County Governor of Muan-gun [Photo by Muan-gun]

He also claimed, “Although 44% of the nation’s inhabited islands are located here and the proportion of elderly population is also the highest in the country, many patients with severe or higher-level diseases lose the opportunity for timely treatment due to a lack of medical facilities,” and “It is reasonable to establish a medical school at Mokpo National University to guarantee the minimum right to survival for residents of island and rural areas.”

In particular, he emphasized, “Since the green light for establishing a medical school in Jeonnam, which had been impossible for more than 30 years, has finally come, this precious opportunity should not be lost due to discord between regions, and it is necessary to definitely bring about the establishment of the Jeonnam medical school,” and “To this end, we must unite our efforts to proactively secure more than 100 new national medical school seats for the 2026 academic year.”

Regarding the announcement by Kim Young-rok, governor of Jeonnam, on the 18th about the establishment of the Jeonnam medical school, Governor Kim San said, “I agree with the overall direction of Jeollanam-do’s promotion, but if the government’s policy changes, I think it is desirable to establish it at Mokpo National University in the relatively vulnerable southwestern region,” and “I expect the government and Jeollanam-do to make a reasonable decision for realizing a local era where it is good to live anywhere in Korea and for balanced development.”

Muan = Oh Hwan-joo, Honam Reporting Headquarters, Asia Economy just8440@asiae.co.kr