"Establishment of National Medical School in Jeonnam Should Be Expedited"

Jeollanam-do Committee Announces Position on Establishing a National Medical School
Efforts Made for Integration of Mokpo National University and Suncheon National University
Plan for Next Year's Medical School Admissions Excludes Jeollanam-do Medical School
"Government Must Fulfill Its Promise Made Last March"

Jeonnam Provincial Government Office Building View

The Jeollanam-do Provincial Committee for the Establishment of a National Medical School (Co-Chairman Heo Jeong) expressed deep regret on the 7th over the Ministry of Education's announcement regarding the 2026 medical school admission quota without making a clear statement on the establishment of a national medical school in Jeollanam-do.

They strongly urged the government to fulfill its promise to establish a medical school in Jeollanam-do.

On the 11th, Chairman Heo issued a statement saying, "Although this appears to be part of the Ministry of Education's plan to normalize medical education, the 2 million residents of the province express deep disappointment that the government only announced the 2026 medical school admission quota without even mentioning the establishment of a national medical school in Jeollanam-do, which was promised to the public."

He continued, "Last March, the government officially promised to establish a national medical school in Jeollanam-do through a public statement. In response, Jeollanam-do made efforts, at the government's request, to integrate National Mokpo University and National Suncheon University, and in November last year, finally recommended the 'Integrated University National Medical School' to the government."

He added, "The Ministry of Education's announcement of the 2026 medical school admission quota without including the plan for a new medical school in Jeollanam-do is a matter of the government breaking its promise to the people and undermining trust in public administration."

Jeollanam-do is the region with the highest medical demand but is the only metropolitan government in the country without a medical school, making it the largest medically underserved area.

As a result, half of the severe emergency and trauma patients are unable to receive treatment within the golden hour.

Chairman Heo stated, "The establishment of an integrated university national medical school in Jeollanam-do, as recommended by the province, supports the government's 'one province, one national university' policy and medical reform policies such as strengthening regional and essential healthcare. It is a national task that will help overcome the crisis of regional decline and ensure the stability of people's livelihoods." He emphasized, "The government should promptly review the procedures for establishing a national medical school in Jeollanam-do, a metropolitan government without a medical school, as promised to the public, separately from the discussion on the medical school quota."