"Fulfill the Promise of Establishing a National Medical School in Jeonnam"... United Voices of Urging in the National Assembly

National Assembly Grand Debate and Pan-Provincial Resolution Rally
Over 600 Participants Including Local Residents and Hometown Associations
Conveying the Hopes and Determination of Two Million Local Residents

Jeollanam-do Integrated University National Medical School Establishment National Assembly Grand Debate and Resolution Meeting 1)
Kim Youngrok, Governor of Jeollanam-do, is performing a gesture with the attendees to convey the earnest wish and strong will of 2 million Jeonnam residents for the establishment of a national medical school at the 'Jeollanam-do Integrated University National Medical School Establishment National Assembly Grand Debate and Resolution Meeting' held at the National Assembly in Seoul on the 24th. Provided by Jeonnam Province

The "National Assembly Grand Debate and Pan-Provincial Resolution Rally" for the establishment of a national medical school in Jeollanam-do was held on the 24th in the main conference hall of the National Assembly Members' Office Building. Voices urging the government to fulfill its promise of establishing a national medical school in Jeollanam-do continued to be raised.

According to Jeollanam-do on the 24th, the event was co-hosted by 13 National Assembly members, including local representatives (Park Jie-won, Lee Gae-ho, Seo Sam-seok, Shin Jung-hoon, Jun Hyun-hee, Kim Won-i, Joo Cheol-hyeon, Kwon Hyang-yeop, Kim Moon-su, Moon Geum-joo, Seo Mi-hwa, Cho Gye-won, Chun Haram), and jointly organized by the Pan-Provincial Promotion Committee for the Establishment of Jeollanam-do National Medical School (Co-Chairman Heo Jung), National Mokpo University (President Song Hacheol), National Suncheon University (President Lee Byeongun), and the National Assembly Good Policy Forum (Representative Jun Hyun-hee, National Assembly Member).

Approximately 600 people attended, including Kim Young-rok, Governor of Jeollanam-do, local National Assembly members, the Chairperson and members of the Jeollanam-do Provincial Council, co-chairmen of the Pan-Provincial Promotion Committee, presidents of both universities, heads of basic local governments in Jeollanam-do, local residents, and members of hometown associations from across the country. The event proceeded in two parts: the first part was the resolution rally, and the second part was the debate.

The participants strongly urged the government to fulfill the "promotion of the establishment of a national medical school in Jeollanam-do," which was promised in a public statement last March, conveying the earnest wishes and strong determination of the two million residents of Jeollanam-do for the establishment of a national medical school.

The first part, the resolution rally, was organized by the Pan-Provincial Promotion Committee and included the announcement of a resolution urging the government to fulfill its promise to promote the establishment of a national medical school, followed by a slogan performance.

In the resolution, the Pan-Provincial Promotion Committee stated, "Jeollanam-do, trusting the government's promise, made even greater efforts to achieve the integration of universities in line with the government's 'one province, one national university' policy, and produced results that exceeded the government's expectations." They added, "Now it is the government's turn to keep its promise. While negotiating with the medical community to resolve the medical crisis, the establishment of a national medical school in Jeollanam-do should be prioritized."

The second part, the debate, included welcoming remarks from the governor of Jeollanam-do, the chairperson of the provincial council, the presidents of both universities, congratulatory remarks from the hosting National Assembly members, and a panel discussion by experts.

Governor Kim stated, "Healthcare reform is now a critical and urgent task that the government can no longer postpone," and strongly urged, "While the government and the medical community resolve healthcare issues through a grand compromise, the government must confirm the establishment of the 'Jeollanam-do National Medical School' as promised to the public."

In the expert panel discussion, Lim Hyuk-baek, Professor Emeritus at Korea University, served as the moderator. After presentations by both universities, Heo Jung, co-chairman of the Pan-Provincial Promotion Committee, Lim Jun, Director of the Preventive Management Center at Inha University Hospital, and Kim Daehee, Secretary General of Yeosu YMCA, participated as panelists. They highlighted the poor medical environment in Jeollanam-do and agreed on the necessity of establishing a national medical school to overcome these challenges.

Professor Lim stated, "Jeollanam-do, the only region in the country without a national medical school, is a welfare blind spot. The issue of establishing a medical school should be discussed separately from the issue of medical school quotas." He added, "I hope the government's promised 'establishment of a national medical school in Jeollanam-do' will be fulfilled so that not only urban areas but even residents living alone on remote islands can live happily within the warm embrace of Korea."

Co-chairman Heo emphasized, "The establishment of a national medical school in Jeollanam-do is the most urgent task for expanding essential local healthcare and resolving medical imbalances, and it is a national responsibility that can no longer be delayed." He added, "The government should respond to the earnest calls of Jeollanam-do residents and make a prompt decision to establish a national medical school."

Jeollanam-do has even achieved the "integration of National Mokpo University and National Suncheon University" in line with the government's "one province, one national university" policy, as requested by the government to "designate a university."

On November 22 last year, "Jeollanam-do Integrated University National Medical School" was recommended to the government, and Jeollanam-do is accelerating efforts to establish a national medical school by actively making proposals to the government, the National Assembly, and other relevant bodies.