Opposition to Excluding University Opinions and Eastern Region Public Sentiment
Concerns Over Forcing Single Medical School Plan Amid Deepening Regional Conflicts
Joint Medical School and Multiple Medical Schools Establishment Plans Must Continue to Be Discussed
Suncheon National University (President Lee Byung-woon) held a “Meeting to Hear University Opinions and Explanation Session on the Establishment of a National Medical School and University Hospital in Jeollanam-do” on the 10th at Paru Hall, Suncheon National University.
The session, hosted by the consortium of AT Kearney Korea, the government-recommended project management company for the establishment of the national medical school in Jeonnam Province, and the law firm Jipyung, was attended by over 200 university members.
The "Hearing and Briefing Session on University Opinions Regarding the Establishment of a National Medical School and University Hospital in Jeollanam-do" was held on the 10th at Paru Hall, Suncheon National University. [Photo by Suncheon National University]
The explanation session proceeded in the order of explaining the government-recommended public contest procedures and basic directions, the establishment methods of the national medical school and university hospital, support measures for non-recommended universities and regions, followed by a Q&A session.
The project management company presented two basic establishment plans: ▲(Plan 1) Selecting a single medical school followed by the establishment of two university hospitals ▲(Plan 2) Establishing a medical school and university hospital in the same region, and explained the public contest procedures and evaluation criteria.
Members of Suncheon National University listened to the explanations and then raised sharp questions and opinions.
Attendees focused on questioning why the public contest is proceeding with a hasty conclusion within a single campus despite the university’s and the eastern region’s intention to “not participate in a mutually competitive contest that fuels regional conflicts,” and why university opinions were excluded in the decision-making process of the establishment plan.
Staff member A said, “Residents expect that if a medical school is established in Jeonnam, they will be able to receive high-quality medical services in a more convenient environment. However, the medical school contest conducted by Jeonnam Province has only fueled conflicts between the eastern and western regions and has caused fatigue among residents. Instead of deciding the direction in advance, I ask that more attention be paid to the opinions of the university, which is the main body of medical school establishment and operation, and the residents, who are the parties to opinion collection.”
Another staff member said, “I saw an article stating that the establishment method will be finalized and announced one day after today’s explanation session,” and expressed the opinion that “it is problematic to conduct a survey on two plans that have not been sufficiently consulted by the establishment method selection committee and then announce the results.”
Faculty members continued to raise questions and opinions based on diverse major perspectives and educational curriculum operation experiences.
A professor from the Department of Biomedical Science said, “In regions without a medical school, it is said that training hospitals will operate, but due to pressures such as personnel authority and finances, it will be difficult to properly reflect local medical demands,” citing the emergency room of Chosun National University Hwasun Hospital, which operates at Level 3. He also raised doubts about the ‘Advanced Medical Science Research Center’ proposed as a countermeasure for non-selected regions, saying, “I understand that the Hwasun Biomedical Cluster, which has invested over 1 trillion won in the past 10 years, is also struggling to operate, so I question whether a research center separated from a medical school will function properly.”
A nursing professor pointed out that “it is practically impossible for professors to simultaneously teach and provide medical care when the medical school and hospital are 150 km apart,” highlighting that the distance between Busan National University Hospital and Yangsan Busan National University Hospital, cited by the project management company as an example, is only 30 km. He added that one of the two hospitals without a medical school cannot function as a university hospital. As evidence, he cited the case where the Chosun University Hospital branch, attracted by POSCO providing a building in Gwangyang City, withdrew after three years of establishment.
Another professor from the Department of Biomedical Science asked whether the establishment method of the medical school has already been decided, pointing out, “The establishment method should be decided after sufficient explanation sessions or public hearings, but it seems that the project management company is deliberately pushing toward the ‘one university, two hospitals’ method without sufficient public opinion collection.” He questioned, “If Jeonnam Province, not the government, can decide the establishment method, wouldn’t it be possible to try ‘two medical schools, two hospitals’ to guarantee the health and life rights of all residents?”
A law professor said, “This explanation session gives the impression of a formality held after the establishment method has already been decided,” and criticized, “They say they will decide the establishment method reflecting concerns and opinions raised today, but it is hard to trust that they will hold meetings and reflect these opinions in the one day left before the announcement on the 12th.”
A chemical engineering professor said, “Most local politicians, media, and residents have sympathized with the idea of pursuing a win-win plan such as a joint medical school considering the situation changes over the past few months,” and expressed the opinion that “If the government does not officially accept a joint medical school, it will not be too late to apply for a single medical school then, and a government promoting medical reform to expand local public medical infrastructure will surely reach a wise conclusion.”
An agricultural economics professor said, “Expressions such as reflecting quantitative indicators like population and number of industries in the contest plan and then qualitatively evaluating them during the evaluation process continuously amplify doubts about fairness,” and questioned whether the establishment method selection committee, preliminary screening committee, and evaluation committee, composed of experts unrelated to Jeonnam Province, are genuinely considering Jeonnam’s medical situation and regional extinction issues. He also proposed holding a debate that both universities’ representatives can verify.
In addition, various opinions were presented, such as “If only one university participates in the contest or if universities and regions that failed the contest oppose it, the government will find it difficult to promote the establishment of the medical school,” and “The two universities involved in the medical school establishment need sufficient time to seriously discuss the medical school issue.”
President Lee Byung-woon said, “Considering medical demand, industrial base, transportation, and operational conditions, the necessity of establishing a medical school at Suncheon National University inevitably emerges,” and added, “Joint medical schools and multiple medical school establishment plans need to continue to be discussed as active alternatives for Jeonnam’s coexistence, harmony, and improvement of medical welfare.”
He continued, “Furthermore, since Mokpo National University was selected as a glocal university following Suncheon National University, a foundation for win-win cooperation between the eastern and western regions has been formed, so along with the one province, one national university system, joint medical school establishment plans need to be actively discussed.”
Suncheon National University stated that based on the opinions presented that day, it will continue dialogue with related institutions such as Mokpo National University as a key entity in the establishment of the medical school.
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