A rendering of the planned medical school building at Gyeonguk National University. [Gyeonguk National University]
A rendering of the planned medical school building at Gyeonguk National University. [Gyeonguk National University]

Gyeonguk National University has been approved to establish a new medical school and will admit 40 students annually, marking a turning point in efforts to train medical professionals and strengthen healthcare infrastructure in North Gyeongsang Province.

The university announced Wednesday that the Ministry of Education had confirmed the establishment of the national medical school and allocated an entering class of 40 students.

The new school is expected to help address longstanding shortfalls in medical access and personnel that have burdened the region, and to bolster local, essential and public healthcare services.

North Gyeongsang Province has long struggled to secure adequate medical staff and deliver essential care, owing to its vast geographic area, high aging rate and the large number of medically underserved communities within its borders.

In response, Gyeonguk National University plans to build a self-sustaining pipeline of medical talent — training doctors locally and creating conditions for them to remain and practice in the region after completing their training.

The university also intends to identify and cultivate promising local students and provide education and clinical training in partnership with regional medical institutions, producing doctors who understand the healthcare environment and distinct characteristics of North Gyeongsang Province.

Through these efforts, the university aims to ensure a stable supply of medical professionals the region needs, raise capacity for essential and public healthcare, and narrow the healthcare gap between regions.

With the medical school's establishment now confirmed, the university will begin full-scale preparations for its opening.

"The establishment of a national medical school is not the university's achievement alone — it is the fruit of a long effort shared by all residents of North Gyeongsang Province," said Jeong Tae-ju, president of Gyeonguk National University. "We will nurture outstanding medical talent here in the region and ensure they stay to take responsibility for the health of local communities."

The university plans to work closely with North Gyeongsang Province, Andong and Yecheon-gun to ensure the medical school's opening proceeds without a hitch.


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