30.2 Billion Won Invested in 61,000-Square-Meter Site
Full-Scale Launch of Integrated Medical and Childcare Town
Geochang County in South Gyeongsang Province announced on the 22nd that it held a groundbreaking ceremony for the site development of the Geochang Medical Welfare Town, marking the official start of the project.
The ceremony was attended by over 400 people, including Geochang County Mayor Koo Inmo, provincial and county council members, heads of organizations and institutions, residents of Geochang-eup, officials from South Gyeongsang Province, and representatives from Geochang Red Cross Hospital. The attendees celebrated the groundbreaking and pledged to ensure the successful implementation of the project, reflecting the aspirations of local residents.
The event began with a bright and hopeful pre-ceremony performance by children from Jungdong Daycare Center, representing the future generation. The program continued with a project progress report, introduction of guests, commemorative speeches and congratulatory remarks, and the groundbreaking ritual. On-site, a bird’s-eye view of the medical welfare town and major facility layout diagrams were displayed, drawing significant attention from participants.
The Geochang Medical Welfare Town urban development project involves a total investment of 30.2 billion won to develop a 61,000-square-meter site. The complex will include integrated medical facilities and dormitories, a public postpartum care center, a Happiness Cancer Center, and a Childcare Dream Center, creating a comprehensive hub for medical and childcare services.
In particular, a cultural park and parking lot will be established around the hospital for use by both hospital visitors and local residents. Seventeen lots for neighborhood living facilities will also be developed to accommodate amenities such as pharmacies and restaurants, with plans to begin sales in the first half of next year.
Geochang County began formulating the development plan in January last year, applied to South Gyeongsang Province for designation as an urban development district in June, and in November received approval from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to lift the agricultural promotion area status, which had been the biggest obstacle to the project. This year, the county completed the administrative procedures in a short period: in February, the project passed reviews by the South Gyeongsang Province Landscape and Urban Planning Committees; in March, the province announced the designation of the urban development district; and in August, the county announced approval of the implementation plan.
The core facility, Geochang Red Cross Hospital, will be relocated and rebuilt as a general hospital with 18 departments and 300 beds, up from the current 9 departments and 91 beds, through a fully government-funded project worth 230 billion won. With the addition of an emergency medical center and a cardiovascular and cerebrovascular center, the hospital is expected to become the public healthcare hub for the northwestern region of South Gyeongsang Province.
In addition, Geochang County plans to use the medical welfare town as a base to implement a one-stop service project for pregnancy, childbirth, and childcare. The goal is to create a city where raising children is easy and joyful, with zero childcare burden. In coordination with hospital facilities within the development district, the county will establish the Happiness Cancer Center for fetal health management, a public postpartum care center for childbirth care, and the Childcare Dream Center for children aged 0 to 6.
Mayor Koo Inmo stated, "Geochang Medical Welfare Town is more than just a development project; it marks a new beginning for Geochang, where medical care, welfare, and childcare are integrated." He added, "Starting with this groundbreaking, we will complete a comprehensive care system for all stages of life centered around the medical welfare town, creating a happy and healthy city that all residents can experience, and laying the foundation for improved living conditions and population revitalization in the region."
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