Discussions intensify over National Medical School site; Namwon in North Jeolla Province leads the bid with full support from its local representative

The selection process for the location of South Korea's new National Medical School is gaining momentum, with Namwon in North Jeolla Province emerging as a leading candidate.

Provincial and city officials in Namwon have been actively preparing for the school's establishment, having already secured a significant portion of the required land. According to the North Jeolla Provincial Government, over 55.1% of the planned 64,792 square meter site in Wolak-dong, Namwon, has been purchased. Including land where purchase agreements are in place, the secured area rises to 91.8%. Namwon has been preparing to host a public medical training institution since the closure of Seonam University's medical college in 2018.

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The Ministry of Health and Welfare held the second meeting of its National Medical School Establishment Preparatory Committee on August 13th. The committee discussed the operational plans for four specialized committees focusing on infrastructure, curriculum, operating systems, and mandatory service.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare held the second meeting of its National Medical School Establishment Preparatory Committee on August 13th. The committee discussed the operational plans for four specialized committees focusing on infrastructure, curriculum, operating systems, and mandatory service. The infrastructure committee, in particular, will review the proposed location and the design and construction plans for the medical school. The government aims to begin site and infrastructure reviews in the latter half of this year, with a target opening date of 2029.

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We have secured more than half of the planned site, and if we include the land for which purchase agreements are in place, we have secured 91.8% of the total site.

Local representatives are emphasizing Namwon's readiness and suitability for the institution. Park Hee-seung, a lawmaker representing Namwon in the National Assembly, has expressed concerns about proposals for a separate Seoul campus or clinical training in the capital. He argues that the medical school's core mission of training healthcare professionals for regional, essential, and public health roles would be best served if educational and clinical facilities are integrated within Namwon. Citing the example of Ulsan University's medical school, which conducts training at Seoul Asan Medical Center despite its regional campus, Park warned against the National Medical School becoming a "medical school in name only."

Park has also proposed consolidating the functions of the National Medical School with the planned new National Central Medical Center in Seoul, suggesting that both be relocated to Namwon to create a hub for education, training, treatment, and research. This ambitious proposal aims to maximize the impact of these public health initiatives within the region.

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A 'medical school in name only' could emerge if the school's educational functions are conducted at a Seoul hospital, similar to the case of Ulsan University's medical college which conducted its training at Seoul Asan Medical Center.