Suncheon Special City Council Members Urge Suspension of Integrated Medical Belt Initiative

Announcement of Medical School and Hospital Plan Provokes Backlash Ahead of University-Led Talks

"Administration Preemptively Decided the Outcome"…Calls for Fair Mediation

As discussions surrounding the establishment of a national medical school and university integration are reigniting, the special city council members from the Suncheon area of the Jeonnam Gwangju Integrated Special City have strongly objected to the recently announced 'Super Metropolitan Integrated Medical Belt' plan. The council members have demanded the immediate suspension of the policy, arguing that announcing the direction for the establishment of a medical school and university hospital before the two universities had even begun their autonomous consultations infringes on university autonomy and could intensify regional conflict.

On July 28, at the Eastern Government Building, the special city council members representing Suncheon issued a statement expressing deep concern and regret over the 'Super Metropolitan Integrated Medical Belt' plan announced by the special city the previous day, stating that the plan was “unilaterally announced without sufficient consultation with the universities.”

The special city councilors of the Suncheon region of the Jeonnam Gwangju Integrated Special City Council issued a statement on the 28th at the East Branch Office expressing deep regret over the 'Super Metropolitan Integrated Medical Belt' plan, saying it was announced unilaterally without sufficient consultation with the university. Provided by the Jeonnam Gwangju Special City Council

Assemblyman Shin Min-ho (Suncheon 6, Democratic Party of Korea) and other Suncheon-area council members pointed out that it was inappropriate for the special city to announce policy plans specifying the locations for the medical school and university hospital before the National Suncheon University and National Mokpo University were able to commence their own autonomous discussions regarding the establishment of a national medical school and the integration of the universities.

The council members criticized the move, stating, “Announcing guidelines and essentially deciding the outcome through administrative action before inter-university talks even begin is equivalent to preempting their autonomous decision-making and undermines the basis of cooperation, which should be built on mutual trust.”

In particular, they highlighted the issue that the plan proposes the “establishment of a new medical school and university hospital” in the western region, while only discussing “reorganization and utilization of existing medical institutions” for the eastern region.

The council members argued that if a direction favoring a specific region becomes a fait accompli before negotiations between the universities are concluded, it could heighten anxiety and distrust among the one million residents of the eastern region and deepen regional conflict.

They further emphasized, “The role of the Integrated Special City should not be to preemptively decide on a particular plan, but rather to coordinate interests and support the universities so they can negotiate fairly and autonomously. Once the administration places itself ahead of the process by setting policy direction, it loses its neutrality and credibility as a mediator.”

Through their statement, the Suncheon-area council members called on the special city to: ▲ suspend implementation of the Super Metropolitan Integrated Medical Belt policy until the two universities reach their own agreement; ▲ institutionalize an advance consultative process involving both universities and relevant local governments when pursuing similar policies in the future; and ▲ fulfill the role of a fair mediator that respects university autonomy and the views of the local community.

The council members urged, “The establishment of a national medical school is a critical issue that will shape the future medical system and balanced development of the entire special city. Integration without procedural legitimacy cannot be true integration, and so the special city must listen more attentively to the autonomous consultation process of the universities and the voices of the residents in the eastern region.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.