Mokpo Youth 100 Forum Strongly Demands Governor Kim Young-rok Withdraw Medical School Recruitment Plan

“Intention to Gain Political Advantage by Attracting National Medical School to Suncheon”

“Will Never Forgive Local Officials Responsible for Failing to Attract Mokpo University Medical School”

Mokpo Youth 100 Forum (hereinafter 100 Forum, representative Park Sang-guk) strongly demanded the immediate withdrawal of Governor Kim Young-rok's decision to open a national medical school, stating that it can only be seen as an attempt to attract the Jeonnam National Medical School to Suncheon for his own political gain, the forum announced on the 3rd.

The 100 Forum pointed out, "Governor Kim Young-rok presented four principles in the announcement of the public contest on the 2nd and said he would decide in a fair and reasonable manner, but this is highly irresponsible as it appears to guarantee objectivity by entrusting the final decision to a credible company while the final person responsible himself tries to evade responsibility."

The forum explained, "Having observed the public contest processes of the state and local governments, we cannot help but have strong distrust about whether the decision-making method of the contest is fair," adding, "Deciding through a contest can be seen as giving the same level of test papers to university students, high school students, middle school students, elementary school students, and perhaps even kindergarteners simultaneously, and selecting the one with the highest score as the final winner."

The Mokpo Youth 100 Forum strongly demanded Governor Kim Young-rok to withdraw the medical school application.
[Photo by Mokpo 100 Forum]

In particular, they emphasized, "No one can deny that the biggest deciding factor in the contest for establishing an institution is ultimately how much counter-investment the local government can make."

They said, "Establishing a medical school and university hospital requires an unimaginably large budget. Therefore, it is obvious that the government will demand massive counter-investment from Jeonnam Province," adding, "For example, Jeonnam Province and Naju City promised to bear 20 billion won over 10 years, paying 10 billion won annually, to attract the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) University. In this situation, Jeonnam Province will give higher scores to regions willing to bear greater costs, and from the perspective of Mokpo, which has declined so much in population and regional economic power that it cannot be compared, it becomes a battle between David and Goliath."

They also stressed, "Until the possibility of a Jeonnam National Medical School emerged, the efforts of Mokpo citizens and Mokpo University were dozens of times greater than those of Suncheon. Thirty years ago, the medical school was naturally Mokpo University," and added, "It was the Mokpo citizens and Mokpo University who ignited the flame of the medical school and kept fanning it so it would not go out."

They continued, "The western region of Jeonnam has become disadvantaged compared to the eastern region in everything. There was a lot of talk that Mokpo would develop greatly if the provincial government office was established there, but the result was only the worst outcome of population outflow," and lamented, "We only envied Yeosu, which rapidly developed after the Expo, and even as we saw the provincial government office gradually moving to Suncheon, we just kept silent."

The Mokpo Youth 100 Forum said, "Last month, we issued a statement titled 'No to Jeonnam National Medical School, Yes to Mokpo University Medical School.' Our forum pointed out the lack of a firm voice from the local political circles for establishing a medical school at Mokpo University and a position seemingly aligned with Governor Kim Young-rok," adding, "In the end, they were betrayed by Governor Kim Young-rok. The Mokpo Youth 100 Forum and Mokpo citizens will never forgive those responsible for the failure to attract the Mokpo University medical school," and strongly urged the local political circles once again.

Finally, they said, "The Jeonnam National Medical School must be established at Mokpo University, and the university hospital must be established in Mokpo City," and strongly requested, "Governor Kim Young-rok should not try to bypass the difficult issue with the trick of a public contest but make a decisive decision that the medical school will be at Mokpo University, just like the relocation of the military airport and Muan Airport."