Jeonnam Provincial Assembly Member Youngkyun Jeong Points Out 'Procedural Flaws' in Jeonnam National Medical School Research Project

Use of Reserve Fund Despite Possibility of Supplementary Budget
Lack of Communication Between the Assembly and the Executive Branch Pointed Out

Youngkyun Jeong, Jeonnam Provincial Assembly Member

At the 391st 1st regular session for the 2024 fiscal year settlement review of the Human Resources Development and Education Bureau held on June 10, Youngkyun Jeong, a member of the Jeonnam Provincial Assembly (Democratic Party of Korea, Suncheon 1), pointed out that the budget execution method and the overall implementation process for the 'Research Service for Government Recommendation for the Establishment of a National Medical School and University Hospital in Jeonnam Province' lacked procedural validity.

In March last year, following the government's announcement to promote the establishment of a national medical school in Jeonnam, Jeonnam Province launched a research project worth a total of 958 million won in July of the same year to further develop the policy.

This research project mainly covers the development of a rational establishment method for a national medical school and university hospital, the preparation of evaluation criteria, and the procedures for selecting universities to be recommended to the government.

After pointing out the lack of prior consultation with the assembly, Jeong criticized, "Despite being a research project worth nearly 1 billion won, there was no report or sharing of the final report with the assembly by the time of settlement, and it is also unclear whether the contents of the terms of reference were properly met."

He further stated, "Although it would have been possible to secure the budget through a supplementary budget following the government announcement, the fact that the reserve fund, which is supposed to be used only under conditions of urgency and inevitability, was used raises questions about its validity." He emphasized, "The reserve fund should be executed under limited and strict standards. A thorough review of the reasons and procedures for its use must always accompany its execution."