Myeong Hyungwan Expresses Regret Over Mokpo University Medical School Rejection, Vows to Revitalize Local Business

Exceptional Consumption Promotion Measures Ordered for Chuseok

Accelerating “Gwangju-Haenam Expressway” to Address Medical Service Gap

Haenam County in Gwangju, South Jeolla Province, is launching a large-scale consumption promotion event aimed at restoring the local economy and revitalizing the regional commercial sector ahead of the upcoming Chuseok holiday. Alongside these efforts, the county has expressed strong regret over Mokpo University being eliminated as a candidate for the newly established national medical school, and is now working to develop practical measures, such as expanding the regional transportation network, to address the medical service gap in the southwest region.

On September 7, Myeong Hyun-kwan, the head of Haenam County, presided over an “Open Communication Meeting” attended by department heads and town mayors, urging active promotion and participation in the various citizen appreciation events scheduled to take place throughout this month.

On the 7th, Myunghyun Kwan, head of Haenam County, presided over the "Open Communication Meeting" and urged active promotion and participation in the citizen appreciation event. Provided by Haenam County

Myeong highlighted, “By taking full advantage of the Haenam Sarang Gift Certificate, Onnuri Gift Certificate, and rebate events for shopping at local stores, residents can benefit from grocery shopping at prices lower than those found in online shopping,” stressing the exceptional benefits on offer.

To begin with, during the month of September, the Haenam Sarang Gift Certificate will provide its highest-ever 18% discount by combining discounted purchases with cashback benefits.

The Onnuri Gift Certificate, which can be used in traditional markets and at small business stores, will also be sold at a 10% discount from September 16 to 20. In addition, extra support has been arranged for those who make use of “Good Price Businesses” that help stabilize consumer prices. Those who pay at such establishments will receive an extra 7% cashback, which will be available temporarily until the allocated budget is exhausted.

Moreover, the county will focus on organizing payback (rebate) events that enable citizens to experience immediate rewards onsite.

Myeong requested, “As various usage methods—such as digital gift certificates—are being introduced, please manage the events with careful attention so that even seniors can easily access and enjoy these tangible benefits.”

Mokpo University Medical School Rejection “A Huge Loss” ... Alternative Measures Ordered Including Expressway Project

The meeting also placed considerable emphasis on the selection results regarding the candidate universities for the new national medical school for the proposed merged Gwangju and South Jeolla special city. Myeong expressed deep regret over Mokpo University’s elimination and instructed the deputy head of the county to prepare response measures.

Myeong stated, “The southwest region, including Haenam, has a senior citizen ratio reaching 40%, and it takes over two hours to reach a university hospital from Songji, Haenam. When emergency patients occur, rapid response is urgently needed in these medically underserved areas. Since the 36-year-long wish of residents to attract a national medical school has been denied, concerns are rising that the tremendous sense of loss among locals and the region’s chronic healthcare gaps will persist.”

He went on to stress the need for establishing a locally comprehensive healthcare system and recommended the prompt promotion of foundational projects to expand the regional transportation network—such as the construction of the Gwangju-Yeongam-Haenam expressway—to ensure the “golden time” for emergency patients in the southwest and improve medical accessibility.

Myeong also commented on the upcoming “Myeongnyang Naval Battle Festival” taking place this weekend, asking that, “With the lingering late-summer heat, please take special care with food booth hygiene and the safety of residents.”

He further reiterated the importance of proactively addressing urgent pending issues—such as crop disease and pest management, including the brown planthopper during the harvest season, and public-private cooperation for the prevention of farm machinery and traffic accidents in autumn—to ensure thorough and effective implementation.

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