- Addressing Bed Imbalance, Integrating with Bio-Industry, and Emerging as a Model for Future Hospitals
- Anticipated Benefits of 'Medical Service Zone' with Proximity to Large-Scale Hospital Infrastructure
As Seoul Asan Medical Center establishes a general hospital in Cheongna International City, Incheon, significant changes are anticipated in the medical environment of the northwestern metropolitan area and western Incheon region. Additionally, with the groundbreaking of Seoul Asan Cheongna Hospital, demand is focusing on residential complexes that can enjoy the benefits of being in a 'medical service zone.'
According to the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority, on December 26 last year, Seoul Asan Cheongna Hospital within the Cheongna Medical Complex Town completed its building permit approval. Seoul Asan Cheongna Hospital will be constructed on the MF1 block (97,459㎡) site in Cheongna International City, featuring 2 basement floors, 19 above-ground floors, and a total floor area of 165,899㎡, with approximately 800 beds, making it a large-scale general hospital. The remaining legal approval procedures required for groundbreaking, such as the underground safety impact assessment, will be completed promptly, with construction scheduled to begin in the first half of 2025 and completion and opening targeted for 2029.
Seoul Asan Medical Center has primarily provided medical services centered around its main hospital in Seoul. Consequently, there have been ongoing concerns about the lack of large hospitals in the northwestern metropolitan area and western Incheon. Patients in Incheon have faced significant inconvenience traveling to Seoul's Gangnam or Yeouido areas, leading to patient outflow issues. However, once Seoul Asan Cheongna Hospital opens, it is expected to provide high-quality medical services locally, significantly reducing patient movement.
Moreover, there is a high possibility that high-end residential demand seeking premium medical services within the region will influx into Cheongna International City. Since there was no large hospital in Cheongna, residents had to travel to Seoul or Bucheon for treatment, causing inconvenience. The establishment of Seoul Asan Cheongna Hospital is expected to enhance medical accessibility for local residents.
Following the groundbreaking of Seoul Asan Cheongna Hospital, 'Prugio Starcella 49,' anticipated to become a landmark in Cheongna International City, is emerging as a direct and indirect beneficiary complex. The complex is located in C18BL, Cheongna International City, Seo-gu, Incheon, consisting of two buildings with 5 basement floors and 49 above-ground floors, totaling 522 units with exclusive areas ranging from 114 to 119㎡. By unit size, there are △174 units of 114㎡ △174 units of 118㎡ △174 units of 119㎡, all medium-to-large sizes suitable for residential living.
'Prugio Starcella 49' is close to the Cheongna Medical Complex Town, which is expected to create approximately 5,300 direct jobs. Besides Seoul Asan Cheongna Hospital, the Cheongna Medical Complex Town will house research institutes such as KAIST and Harvard Medical School (MGH), Meditel, the Life Science Park for startup education, and senior healthcare facilities, serving as a hub linking research and development (R&D) and startups in the medical complex industry.
Furthermore, the complex is surrounded by excellent transportation conditions. It offers convenient access to Incheon and various areas in Seoul and the metropolitan area via the Airport Railroad Cheongna International City Station, the Metropolitan Area 2nd Ring Expressway, and the Incheon International Airport Expressway. The extension of Subway Line 7 (scheduled to open in 2027) is under construction at Cheongna International City Station, and plans for direct connection between the Airport Railroad and Seoul Subway Line 9 will improve accessibility to Yeouido and Gangnam. The third connecting bridge linking Cheongna International City and Yeongjong International City is scheduled to open by the end of this year.
Large-scale development projects are also continuously underway within Cheongna International City. On the 23rd of last month, the undergrounding project of the 15.3 km section of the Gyeongin Expressway connecting Cheongna-dong, Seo-gu, Incheon, and Sinwol-dong, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, passed the preliminary feasibility study, attracting attention from homebuyers in the metropolitan area. This project will proceed through basic planning, detailed design, land compensation, and then construction, with a total project cost estimated at approximately 1.378 trillion KRW based on the preliminary feasibility study.
The extension and undergrounding of the Gyeongin Expressway are expected to alleviate urban disconnection and aesthetic damage caused by the expressway passing through the city center, making Cheongna International City a direct beneficiary area.
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, once the Incheon-Seoul underground expressway is constructed, travel time between Incheon Cheongna District and Yeouido will be reduced by about 17 minutes (from 40 to 23 minutes), facilitating commuting for residents of Incheon and Gyeonggi Province. Additionally, it is expected to generate approximately 20,000 jobs and various other positive effects.
Moreover, with large-scale development projects such as 'Starfield Cheongna,' the future value is high. Starfield Cheongna, located right in front of the complex, is a large-scale integrated entertainment facility combining a large shopping mall, dome stadium, office facilities, and accommodation, with a total floor area of 510,000㎡.
Additionally, the Asia's largest Costco Cheongna, which opened in August last year, is nearby, enhancing convenience as a multi-mall zone. Parks and sports facilities such as Bears Best Cheongna GC, Gongchon Yusuji Sports Facilities, Arabit Island, Jeongseojin Square, and Cheongna Beach Park are close by. Dalton Foreign School and an integrated elementary and middle school within the medical complex town are planned to be newly established, providing favorable educational conditions.
The sales office (officetel exhibition hall) is located in Cheongna-dong, Seo-gu, Incheon, with the expected move-in date scheduled for December 2027.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
