"The national medical school, a long-cherished goal, will be established at either Mokpo National University or Suncheon National University."
With the selection of a host university for the new national medical school imminent, politicians from western and eastern South Jeolla Province issued a joint statement pledging to accept the outcome of the review process. Given the sharp tensions and anticipated backlash whichever university is chosen, the result is drawing close attention.
Song Hyeong-gon, speaker of the Gwangju-South Jeolla Integrated Special City Council, convened a regional cooperation meeting in Jangheung on Saturday to advance plans for the new national medical school.
Attendees included Min Hyeong-bae, mayor of the Gwangju-South Jeolla Special City; Assembly members Kwon Hyang-yeop and Kim Won-i; Speaker Song; Mokpo Mayor Kang Seong-hwi; Mokpo City Council Speaker Lee Yeong-cheol; and Suncheon Mayor Son Hun-mo.
The Gwangju Special City is set to select one of the two universities as its candidate for the national medical school and recommend it to the Ministry of Education on Sunday.
In their joint statement, the participants said they stood "before a difficult and momentous choice — selecting one of Mokpo National University or Suncheon National University as the site for the national medical school," and pledged to "jointly ensure a fair review process and respect its outcome."
They also committed to ensuring the selection would follow objective and fair criteria and procedures, and promised not to intervene in any way that could influence which university is chosen or affect the review results.
The integrated special city agreed to make the review criteria and procedures fully transparent, and to respect and accept the outcome of a fair review. For the university not selected, the parties agreed to build a regionally self-sufficient healthcare system that allows the surrounding community to grow alongside the chosen institution.
To that end, they agreed to develop plans to strengthen practical medical education and research infrastructure — including regional hub hospitals with tertiary-level care capacity, essential public health services, medical education and research functions, and specialized regional medical services — along with a package of substantial incentives.
"Moving beyond differing interests and demands to forge a greater shared answer is what integration means," the participants said, adding that they would "not exploit the medical school selection outcome for regional conflict or political gain, and will continue follow-up discussions on the basis of mutual respect and trust."
sij@heraldcorp.com
