Ahead of Jeonnam National Medical School Candidate Selection, Eastern and Western Political Leaders Say "Respect the Result, End the Competition"

Min Hyeongbae, Song Hyunggon, and Political Leaders from Mokpo and Suncheon Meet in Jangheung
Emphasis on Objective and Fair Selection Process
Agreement to Provide "One-Team" Support for Establishment of Medical School at Selected University
"Incentives" for Base Hospitals and Essential Healthcare in Non-Selected Regions

With the recommendation of the candidate university for the new national medical school in Jeonnam Gwangju Integrated Special City approaching, local politicians and governments have agreed to respect the results of the selection process and respond jointly for the establishment of the national medical school.

They also agreed to provide practical support measures, such as expanding base hospitals and essential/public healthcare infrastructure, for universities and regions not selected as candidates, with the shared goal of preventing conflicts between the eastern and western regions over the university designation.

On the afternoon of the 29th at 7 PM, a "Regional Win-Win Cooperation Meeting for the Establishment of a National Medical School" was held in Jangheung to discuss the establishment of the national medical school and regional coexistence measures. Provided by Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City

According to the Jeonnam Gwangju Integrated Special City Council, at 7 p.m. on August 29 in Jangheung, the "Regional Win-Win Cooperation Meeting for the Establishment of a National Medical School" was held to discuss the establishment of the national medical school and plans for regional co-prosperity.

Attendees included Song Hyunggon, Chairman of the Jeonnam Gwangju Integrated Special City Council; Min Hyeongbae, Mayor of Jeonnam Gwangju Integrated Special City; National Assembly members Kim Woni and Kwon Hyangyeop; Sun Chunmo, Mayor of Suncheon; Kang Seonghwi, Mayor of Mokpo; and council members from the Mokpo area. National Assembly member Seo Samsuk was unable to attend and delegated his support.

This meeting was organized as the candidate university recommendation process for the national medical school entered its final stage.

On August 26, the Ministry of Education granted the integrated special city the opportunity to recommend one university as a candidate for the new national medical school. The Jeonnam Research Institute, which is the dedicated review institution, is scheduled to review proposals from Mokpo National University and Suncheon National University and recommend the candidate university on August 30.

As Mokpo National University and Suncheon National University have been competing to host the national medical school, concerns had been raised that the selection could reignite regional tensions depending on which university is chosen.

Participants at the meeting agreed on the need to end competition after the selection and to unite their efforts toward the common goal of establishing the national medical school. They also agreed to devise support measures for regions not selected.

The attendees adopted a "Joint Agreement of the Regional Win-Win Cooperation Meeting for the Establishment of a National Medical School" reflecting these principles.

First, they agreed to ensure an objective and fair evaluation during the candidate selection process and to respect the outcome. They also set the principle of not interfering in the appointment or evaluation results of any particular university, while transparently disclosing selection criteria and procedures.

Once the candidate university is decided, the competition will come to an end.

The political community and local governments will then jointly support follow-up procedures for the establishment of the national medical school at the selected university, including obtaining government approval, securing admissions quotas, and building educational, research, and medical infrastructure.

Of particular interest are the support measures for universities and regions not selected. The attendees agreed to expand local base hospitals with advanced capabilities for treating serious cases, essential and public health care, medical education and research, and to enhance specialized regional medical functions based on the situation and strengths of the non-selected universities and regions. They also plan to introduce "exceptional incentives" to back these efforts.

Plans also include building a "regional-complete medical system"—connecting the medical resources of the eastern and western regions to ensure that residents anywhere in the integrated special city can access necessary medical treatment in a timely manner.

They also agreed not to use the selection results for regional conflict or political advantage.

The intent is to make the selection of the national medical school candidate university not the beginning of new regional disputes, but an opportunity to demonstrate co-prosperity between the eastern and western areas since the launch of the integrated special city.

Chairman Song Hyunggon said, "The national medical school is not a challenge for a single university or region, but a common task for the health and lives of 3.2 million special city residents. We must compete fairly, but once a decision is made, we should respect the outcome and unite our efforts to establish the national medical school."

He added, "Competition is only until the selection, but responsibility must be shared by all. We must ensure that even the non-selected universities and regions are provided with tangible medical, educational, and research infrastructure and substantial incentives, so that this decision becomes a new starting point for integration rather than the origin of regional conflict."

Based on the agreement reached at the meeting, the participants plan to jointly respond to the government after the candidate university is selected and to continue discussions so that achievements in medical, educational, and research fields resulting from the establishment of the medical school will be distributed evenly across the integrated special city.

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