[Edaily Lee Ji-hyun Reporter Shin Ha-young] For the first time in 32 years—since Jeju National University was established in 1998—two new national medical schools are set to be established. National Suncheon University in Suncheon, Gwangju, South Jeolla Province, and National Gyeongguk University in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, aim to open in 2030 with enrollment capacities of 60 and 40 students, respectively. However, regional conflicts surrounding the allocation of enrollment quotas and the university selection process persist.

The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the 4th that they had selected National Suncheon University in Gwangju, South Jeolla Special Self-Governing City (formerly South Jeolla Province), and National Gyeongguk University in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, as the sites for new regional medical schools. Both universities plan to simultaneously establish medical schools and teaching hospitals, with the goal of enrolling their first freshmen in 2030.

The government plans to train and educate doctors locally to encourage them to settle in those regions. This decision stems from the assessment that simply expanding enrollment quotas at existing medical schools has its limitations in resolving the doctor shortage in medically underserved areas. To this end, the government will establish a foundation for medical education and clinical training by linking the new medical schools with teaching hospitals.

Last February, the Health and Medical Policy Deliberation Committee decided to secure 100 enrollment slots for new regional medical schools for the 2030–2031 academic years. Subsequently, after comprehensively evaluating factors such as access to medical schools, shortages in healthcare supply, and medical vulnerability, the government selected the former Jeonnam and Gyeongbuk regions as the sites for the new schools. The government also plans to review whether to allocate additional enrollment slots starting in 2032 based on the results of a re-projection of the physician workforce supply and demand in 2029.

Although the universities and enrollment quotas for the new medical schools have been finalized, regional conflicts have not subsided. In North Gyeongsang Province, there are complaints that the quota allocated to Kyunguk University is relatively small, while in South Jeolla Province, controversy continues over the fairness of the selection process for Suncheon National University.

Suncheon National University had initially applied to establish a medical school with 100 students, but the government allocated only 60, citing the difficulty of operating such a large program from the outset. Kyunguk University was also allocated 40 spots—10 fewer than the 50 it had requested. The government explained that it took into account the fact that Dongguk University’s medical school, with a capacity of 55 students, is already operating in southern North Gyeongsang Province.

However, Kyungguk University maintains that the medical needs of northern North Gyeongsang Province were not sufficiently taken into account. A Kyungguk University official stated, “Although they cited Dongguk University’s medical school in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, it is too far away—a 1 hour and 40-minute drive,” adding, “The original reason we applied to establish a new medical school was precisely because of the demand in northern North Gyeongsang Province.”

In Gwangju, South Jeolla Province, a conflict arose after discussions on merging Mokpo National University and Suncheon National University fell through, and the Gwangju-Suncheon Integrated Special City recommended Suncheon National University as a candidate for a new medical school following a separate review.

Mokpo National University and local political circles in Mokpo have demanded a re-evaluation, raising concerns regarding the securing of land for the medical school, the composition of the review committee, the feasibility of establishing a hospital, and the assessment of medical service vulnerabilities. In particular, the validity of the documents submitted by Suncheon National University claiming that it had secured the land for the medical school became a point of contention. The Mokpo side took issue with the fact that Suncheon National University had listed the land as “already secured” even though it had not yet obtained ownership of the property.

After consulting with multiple external legal advisors, the government determined that there were no grounds sufficient to reject the local government’s recommendation of a candidate university. This was based on the fact that there is no regulation requiring the securing of land ownership during the selection process for new medical schools, and that it is difficult to conclusively determine that Suncheon National University’s documentation regarding land acquisition contained intentional false statements.

Kim Won-yi, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea who has been on a hunger strike for six days in front of the National Assembly Main Building—demanding a direct review by the government that includes Mokpo National University—held a press conference at the National Assembly that day. “We cannot accept the Ministry of Education’s decision, which has failed to address the allegations of unfair evaluation raised by Mokpo National University and the citizens of Mokpo and has abdicated the central government’s responsibility,” he said. “We will work closely with the citizens of Mokpo to devise proactive countermeasures.”