Andong's Gyeongkuk National University to Open Medical School in Provincial Government New Town in 2030; 630 Billion Won University Hospital with 500 Beds Also Planned

Gyeongsangbuk-do Province said on November 4, "The Ministry of Education has given final approval for the establishment of the College of Medicine at Gyeongkuk National University." It added, "With a medical school being established in Gyeongsangbuk-do for the first time in 45 years, the province—which had no national medical school or tertiary general hospital—has secured a key foundation for developing its advanced bio and medical industries."

Efforts to establish a medical school in Gyeongsangbuk-do began in earnest in 2013 with the formation of a task force to attract one, including policy research and a feasibility study on its establishment. More recently, the province has made persistent appeals to the government and the National Assembly through a province-wide signature campaign and National Assembly forums hosted by Kim Hyeongdong of the People Power Party and Lim Miae of the Democratic Party of Korea.

Artist's rendering of the College of Medicine at Gyeongkuk National University, which will be built in the Gyeongbuk Provincial Government New City.

The initiative was also selected as a pledge of the eighth popularly elected Gyeongsangbuk-do provincial government and as a campaign pledge of the Lee Jaemyung administration. With support from local lawmakers, political circles, the medical community, Confucian organizations and civic groups, as well as backing from the province's 2.5 million residents, the long-standing regional aspiration has finally been realized.

Gyeongsangbuk-do Province said, "The new medical school and teaching hospital will be built on a 130,362-square-meter (39,500-pyeong) site in the provincial government new town, with a total investment of 630 billion won. The school aims to open in 2030 with an enrollment quota of 40 students, and will secure at least 112 full-time faculty members by 2032."

The university hospital is planned to have at least 500 beds. It will serve as a hospital for clinical education and the training of medical professionals, and will eventually take responsibility for a self-sufficient regional healthcare system.

Gyeongsangbuk-do Governor Lee Cheolwoo said, "We will proceed without delay with opening the medical school in 2030 and building a university hospital with at least 500 beds to protect the lives and health of our residents and make Gyeongsangbuk-do a new growth hub for Korea's bio and medical industries."

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