Assembly member Kim Moon-su: 'Let's accept it' — Suncheon Mayor Son Hun-mo: 'We must secure both the medical school and the hospital'

Suncheon Mayor Son Hun-mo (left) and Assembly member Kim Moon-su. [Facebook]
Suncheon Mayor Son Hun-mo (left) and Assembly member Kim Moon-su. [Facebook]

Democratic Party of Korea Assembly member Kim Moon-su, who represents the Suncheon-Gwangyang-Gokseong-Gurye A district, has said he is willing to accept a compromise proposal put forward by the planned Jeonnam-Gwangju integrated special city — under which Mokpo National University would host the main campus and medical school while Suncheon National University would get the university hospital. Suncheon Mayor Son Hun-mo, however, has staked out a different position, insisting that both the medical school and the hospital must come to Suncheon.

Kim and Son are classmates from Korea University's class of 1988 — Kim from Songgwang-myeon and Son from Hwangjeon-myeon — and joined forces in the June 3 local elections to defeat independent candidate Noh Gwan-gyu, a longtime rival. The two now find themselves at odds over the medical school issue, one of the most consequential questions facing the region.

Son issued a statement Monday afternoon saying that "a medical school and hospital must be secured together to address the healthcare imbalance in South Jeolla Province's eastern region — covering Yeosu, Suncheon, Gwangyang and surrounding cities — and to ensure the area's sustainable development." He added that "what is needed now is not conflict and confrontation but communication and cooperation," and pledged that Suncheon would work to find the best path forward for expanding healthcare in the eastern region and developing Suncheon National University.

Kim had earlier taken sharp aim at Suncheon National University after it rejected the integrated city's compromise proposal, writing on his Facebook page: "What on earth is the plan of the entrenched Suncheon National University president and others who have kicked away the last chance to establish a university hospital?" He directed pointed criticism at President Lee Byeong-un and senior faculty administrators.

Suncheon National University has been working toward a plan under which, once a medical school license is confirmed, the city would transfer a medical site in the Sindae district of Haeryong-myeon to the university for construction of a teaching hospital. The university is said to feel the pressure of having the mayor and the local Assembly member pulling in different directions on the issue.


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